Local financial services companies and their employees are the third most generous business donors on The Post list, giving more than $299,758. Among the largest contributors: Fannie Mae, Sallie Mae and Capital One Financial Corp. Capital One also made a $25,000 contribution to the New Democrat Network, a 527 organization that supports Democratic candidates.
Local lobbyists have been more active fundraisers than local chief executives. At least 49 of the 77 Washington area Bush "Pioneers" -- donors who raise at least $100,000 -- are lobbyists. They include Lanny Griffith, chief executive of Barbour, Griffith and Rodgers, Karen Knutson, a former energy policy aide to Vice President Cheney, and Aubrey A. Rothrock III, a Patton Boggs partner who has represented companies such as Mars Inc. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
K Street has not forgotten Kerry, who is one of the Senate's top recipients of lobbyist contributions, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. At least 15 of the 31 Washington area Kerry "Vice Chairs" -- people who have raised $100,000 -- are lobbyists. Among them are Christopher Putala, lobbyist for the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association, former White House special counsel Lanny Davis, and Ivan Schlager of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and Flom, the No. 1 firm on The Post list, who represents Verizon and News Corp.
Real estate developers are collecting cash for Bush and Kerry, too. Dwight C. Schar, chief executive of NVR Inc., the McLean-based homebuilder, is a Bush Pioneer. This election cycle, Schar and his wife have given $105,000 to Bush and the RNC. Schar declined to comment for this article.
Among the developers raising money for Kerry are Herbert S. Miller, chairman of Western Development Corp., who raised $100,000, and Morton Funger, partner of Ralmor Corp., who raised $50,000.
Finally, local automobile moguls are split between the two major party contenders. Robert M. Rosenthal, chairman of the Rosenthal Automotive Organization, and Mandell J. Ourisman, chairman of Ourisman Automotive Enterprises, are both Bush donors.
On the Democratic side, Donald S. Beyer Jr., owner of Don Beyer Automotive Group and former Virginia lieutenant governor and Democratic candidate, started out the 2004 campaign as Howard Dean's campaign treasurer. After Dean dropped out, Beyer devoted his services to Kerry and has raised more than $100,000.
Joining veteran moneymen such as Miller and Beyer are newcomers to presidential fundraising such as Barbara Goldberg-Goodman. Goldberg-Goodman is president of Regal Domestics, a Chevy Chase-based domestic staffing company. She is a former staffer at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development who is active in Montgomery County on affordable housing issues. So far, she has raised at least $50,000 for Kerry. She declined to comment for this story.
Another rookie is Gary Gensler, a former Goldman Sachs investment banker and U.S. Treasury official who is now the treasurer of the Maryland Democratic Party. Gensler said he began political fundraising two years ago for Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.). In June, Van Hollen, Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan (D) and Rep. Albert R. Wynn (D-Md.) hosted a fundraiser at Gensler's home featuring Teresa Heinz Kerry that raised more than $700,000 for Kerry, according to Gensler.
"People are fired up in a way that I think reflects this divided nation," Gensler said . "People look at donations and ask, 'Does it matter? Can their donation make a difference?' And the answer is, 'Absolutely, yes.' "
Staff writer Ellen McCarthy contributed to this report.
