Democrats may not be thrilled with the budget deal struck by Democratic Sen. Patty Murray and GOP Rep. Paul Ryan (Wisc.). But the compromise likely pleased one of Murray’s biggest sources of campaign cash: Boeing.

The budget deal averts many automatic sequestration cuts. Those cuts would have taken a big chunk out of defense spending — and Boeing in particular would have been hit hard. The company l obbied on stopping sequestration and company executives made it clear: sequestration cuts would cripple the company . In fact, they went as far as to create a website to push back against those lobbying to go over the so-called “fiscal cliff” and embrace sequestration cuts.

The airplane manufacturer, a major employer in Murray’s home state of Washington, is her third largest career campaign contributor. The company’s PAC and employees are responsible for at least $172,000 in donations to her campaigns. Further, since 2009, Boeing’s corporate PAC and employees are the fourth largest source of cash for Murray’s campaign and leadership PAC combined, accounting for $108,400 in donations.

That doesn’t even count an additional $151,000 that lobbyists hired by Boeing have produced for her two accounts since 2009 (it does count $6,500 that in-house lobbyists have given). Not all of those lobbyists are still being paid by Boeing, but 23 of the 99 lobbyists Boeing has had on contract so far in 2013 have donated to Murray’s campaign or leadership PAC since 2009. Those 23 have given $107,350 to the two committees.

Follow Russ on Twitter: @russchoma

Images: Patty Murray speaking at a rally at a Boeing manufacturing facility in 2011. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

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