opinion

Searching to find McConnell's largest backers

TOP GIVERS FOR MCCONNELL'S ELECTION

... includes contributions to McConnell campaign, Bluegrass Committee, and super PAC Kentuckians for Strong Leadership

•Lawrence F. DeGeorge, Jupiter, Fla., venture capital, LPL Investment Group: $505,200

•Robert McNair, Houston, chairman and CEO of Houston Texans: $502,500

•Alliance Coal and its president Joe Craft, Tulsa, Okla., coal mining: $436,350

•John W. Childs, Boston and Vero Beach, J.W. Childs Associates, private equity: $395,200

•Murray Energy, St. Clairsville, Ohio, coal mining: $330,000

•Churchill Downs, Louisville, horse racing: $319,400

•Stephens Inc. and Warren Stephens, Little Rock, investment banking: $251,300

•Blackstone Group, New York, private equity and investment banking: $243,125

•Thomas and Paula McInerney, Westport, Conn., Bluff Point Associates, private equity: $235,400

•Philip H. Geier and Geier Group. New York, marketing, communications consulting: $210,000

•John L. Nau III and Silver Eagle Distributors, Houston, beer distributor: $209,800

•Barbara R. Banke, Geyserville, Cal., chairman Jackson Family Wines: $205,200

•W. Ed Bosarge and family, Houston, CEO of Capital Technologies: $185,400

•North Cypress Medical Center, Cypress, Texas, physician-owned hospital: $183,550

•Humana, Louisville, health insurance: $160,880

•Goldman Sachs, New York, financial services: $138,575

•David Jones Sr. and wife Betty, Louisville, retired Humana executive: $135,000

•NextEra Energy, Juno Beach, Fla., parent of Florida Power & Light: $133,000

•Steven A. Webster, Houston, Avista Capital, private equity: $130,200

•Super PAC for America, Tampa, PAC affiliated with political strategist Dick Morris: $125,000

•JP Morgan Chase, New York, financial services: $122,575

•Houchens Industries, Bowling Green, grocery stores, financial services, etc.: $121,750

•Steven Chancellor and American Patriot Group, Evansville, food service: $120,400

•Elliott Management, New York, hedge funds: $119,800

•Altria Group, Richmond, Va., tobacco: $118,458

The following includes contributions to the McConnell campaign, Bluegrass Committee. Does not include super PAC Kentuckians for Strong Leadership.

•Blackstone Group, New York, private equity and investment banking: $243,125

•North Cypress Medical Center, Houston, physician-owned hospital: $183,550

•Humana, Louisville, health insurance: $160,880

•Goldman Sachs, New York, investment banking: $138,575

•Alliance Coal/Joe Craft family, Tulsa, coal: $136,350

•JP Morgan Chase, New York, investment banking: $122,575

•Houchens Industries, Bowling Green, grocery stores, road building, etc.: $121,750

•Elliott Management, New York, hedge funds: $119,800

•Altria Group, Richmond, Va., tobacco: $118,458

•General Electric, Fairfield, Conn., international conglomerate: $114,825

•Kindred Healthcare, Louisville, post-acute care services: $111,450

•Capital One, McLean, Va., financial services: $98,500

•Brown-Forman, Louisville, alcoholic beverages: $94,000

•Davita Healthcare, Denver, dialysis centers: $89,975

•Delta Airlines, Atlanta: $88,550

•Verizon Communications, New York, broadband and telecommunications: $87,775

•Comcast, Philadelphia, largest broadcast and cable company in the world: $86,750

•BNSF, Fort Worth, Texas, freight railroad: $85,700

•Capital Group Companies, Los Angeles, investment management: $85,500

•Fidelity Investments, Boston, financial services: $82,450

•Ernst and Young, London, tax and other consulting services: $81,900

•Metlife, New York, life insurance: $78,500

•American Express, New York, financial services: $77,380

•Koch Industries, Wichita, Kansas, energy, manufacturing, other: $75,400

•Federal Express, Memphis, package delivery: $75,000





TOP STATES FOR MITCH McCONNELL BACKERS

Contributions to McConnell political committees and Kentuckians for Strong Leadership between Jan. 1, 2009 and Dec. 31, 2014, based on analysis by The Courier-Journal's Tom Loftus:

•Kentucky: $4,969,686

•Texas: $4,310,226

•District of Columbia: $3,910,792

•New York: $3,653,548

•Florida: $2,983,266

•Virginia: $2,439,555

•California: $2,288,388

•Illinois: $1,396,693

•Connecticut: $1,098,740

•Ohio: $1,088,830

•Pennsylvania: $819,169

•Tennessee: $755,906

•New Jersey: $729,621

•Oklahoma: $653,465

•Massachusetts: $651,924

•Georgia: $649,914

•Missouri: $616,498

•North Carolina: $484,431

•Indiana: $437,726

•Maryland: $409,454

•Arkansas: $381,950

•Alabama: $349,050

•Colorado: $346,409

•Washington: $318,284

•Michigan: $306,441

•Minnesota: $260,660

•Nevada: $197,000

•Arizona: $179,885

•West Virginia: $177,675

•Louisiana: $169,877

•Kansas: $149,260

•Nebraska: $120,500

•South Dakota: $107,225

•Mississippi: $97,990

•Wisconsin: $97,213

•Utah: $89,255

•Virgin Islands: $75,190

•Rhode Island: $71,655

•South Carolina: $65,685

•Delaware: $60,850

•Alaska: $50,700

•North Dakota: $46,700

•Iowa: $42,850

•Oregon: $41,736

•New Hampshire: $40,755

•Wyoming: $38,050

•Hawaii: $25,700

•New Mexico: $19,725

•Idaho: $14,150

•Montana: $12,000

•Maine: $10,950

•Vermont: $5,500

TOP CITIES



•Washington, D.C.: $3,910,792

•New York: $2,719,006

•Houston: $1,889,794

•Louisville: $1,532,164

•Alexandria, Va.: $ 672,755

•Dallas: $657,895

•Arlington, Va.: $560,200

•Jupiter, Fla.: $520,425

•Lexington: $514,092

•Chicago: $464,590

•Vero Beach, Fla.: $458,685

•St. Louis: $443,600

•Tulsa: $429,050

•Atlanta: $381,459

•McLean, Va.: $345,681

•St. Clairsville, Ohio: $330,000

•Greenwich, Conn.: $305,800

•Westport, Conn.: $304,350

•Little Rock: $284,800

•Tampa: $276,350

•Cincinnati: $252,750

•Los Angeles: $245,660

•Charlotte: $243,825

•San Francisco: $236,550

•Prospect: $234,909

TOP ZIP CODES

•20005 Washington, D.C.: $876,592

•10022 New York: $874,050

•20004 Washington, D.C.: $811,891

•20036 Washington, D.C.: $673,900

•77024 Houston: $635,655

•33477 Jupiter, Fla.: $515,250

•32963 Vero Beach, Fla.: $458,685

•20006 Washington, D.C.: $369,137

•40207 Louisville: $363,034

•20001 Washington, D.C.: $358,995

•22314 Alexandria, Va.: $337,250

•43950 St. Clairsville, Ohio: $330,000

•74119 Tulsa: $315,600

•06880 Westport, Conn.: $304,350

•72201 Little Rock: $238,400

•40059 Prospect, Ky.: $237,509

•10021 New York: $232,525

•77002 Houston: $222,200

•40202 Louisville: $202,660

•77219 Houston: $202,600

•95403 Santa Rosa, Cal.: $200,500

•22102 McLean, Va.: $184,808

•63105 St. Louis: $184,250

•20003 Washington, D.C.: $182,900

•77006 Houston: $181,600