BISMARCK - North Dakotans have contributed at least $60,000 to presidential candidates this year, while Minnesotans have pitched in about $1.8 million.
Monday was the deadline for candidates to report contributions received for the third quarter, which ended Sept. 30, to the Federal Election Commission.
In North Dakota, Democratic Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois leads with the most donations so far this year, $11,527. Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, was second with $6,736.
In Minnesota, Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York leads with $411,000 and Obama is second with $374,000.
The top Republican is former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani with $364,190.
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The compilations are according to a watchdog group, the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks and analyzes campaign contributions. It has state-by state breakdowns, including donations through Sept. 30.
The center's Web site, www.opensecrets.org , may have incomplete information pending more analysis of third-quarter reports, but official state-by-state breakdowns were not available Tuesday on the Federal Election Commission's Web site, www.fec.gov , or on the Congressional Quarterly's Moneyline site.
According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the most prolific single donor in North Dakota appears to be a Grafton man who has donated to three Republican candidates. John Kerian of Kerian Machines has given $2,000 to Fred Thompson, and $1,000 each to Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas and Rep. Duncan Hunter of California. In second place among Republican donors is a Bismarck postal clerk, Paschal Schmidt, with $2,600 to Brownback.
The top North Dakota donor to Democrats was Eleanor F. Baria of Bismarck, who gave $2,300 to Obama. Several others gave as much as $2,200 to Obama, former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards and Illinois Rep. Dennis Kucinich.
In Minnesota, many donors have given $4,600 to Clinton, Obama, Edwards, McCain and Giuliani.
Giuliani, the only candidate with a full-time office and staff in North Dakota, has raised $550, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Giuliani campaign spokesman Jared Agen could not confirm the figure, but said, "We do have a strong following in North Dakota. We've had a number of endorsements and we feel very confident with where we are, building from the ground level up."
Minn. donations
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Democrats
Clinton $410,985
Obama $373,989
Edwards $146,097
Richardson $69,255
Dodd $58,800
Biden $5,800
Kucinich $4,475
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Republicans
Giuliani $364,190
McCain $254,197
Ron Paul $48,466
Fred Thompson $47,690
Brownback $13,446
Tancredo $6,480
Huckabee $5,811
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Hunter $5,640
N.D. donations
Democrats
Obama $11,527
Edwards 4,850
Kucinich $4,050
Clinton $1,955
Dodd $250
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(Other candidates showed no results)
Republicans
McCain $6,736
Ron Paul $6,508
Romney $4,695
Thompson $4,500
Brownback $3,645
Tancredo $3,300
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Hunter $3,000
Giuliani $500
All figures through Sept. 30.
Cole works for Forum Communications Co., which owns The Forum. She can be reached at (701) 224-0830 or forumcap@btinet.net Funding reveals political diversity Janell Cole 20071017
