Fins' Ross Giving Big To Romney
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Republican candidates typically do well when it comes to donations from billionaires. And in the exclusive club of mostly billionaire owners in the NFL, many are throwing their support behind Mitt Romney.
At the top of the list is Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross. According to The Washington Examiner via CBS4 news partner the Miami Herald, Ross has donated $100,000 to the pro-Romney super PAC Restore Our Future along with $20,800 to the Republican National Committee, $5,000 to Romney's Free and Strong America PAC and $2,500 to Mitt Romney's campaign.
Most of Ross' contributions came last year, with the $100,000 contribution coming last December. In 2012, he donated the $20,800 to the Republican National Committee, but for the most part has kept his money on the sidelines.
The Bidwell family, which owns the Arizona Cardinals, gave out 40 donations totaling more than $230,000 to Mitt Romney, House Speaker John Boehner, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, and other high-profile Republicans, according to a report from the Sunlight Foundation.
Overall, the Washington Examiner found that NFL political donations favor Republicans by a 3-1 advantage.
Owners who have given to Obama include Steelers owner Dan Rooney and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft. In the past, other owners like Arthur Blank of the Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Luria have contributed to Democratic candidates, according to the Examiner.
Some players have openly backed Democrats. New York Giants and former Miami Hurricanes safety Antrel Rolle gave $10,000 to the Obama Victory Fund, as did New Orleans Saints guard Jahri Evans, according to the Sunlight Foundation.
But, Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning has donated $12,000 to the campaign of two GOP senators during the 2012 election.
Overall, Romney's top contributors have been from: Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase & Company, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, Credit Suisse Group, Citigroup, Barclays, Kirkland & Ellis, Wells Fargo and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Obama's top contributors have been from: the University of California, Microsoft, DLA Piper, Google, Harvard University, Sidney Austin, LLP, the U.S. Government, Comcast, Stanford University, and Time Warner.
