Hawaii’s Early 2012 Donors Still Like Obama
WASHINGTON 鈥斅燚espite record-low approval ratings in states across the country, President Barack Obama is still the early favorite among Hawaii donors, according to the .
While the heavily Democratic state’s affection for a Honolulu-born president may not be a surprise, the favorite among Hawaii’s Republican donors is less predictable: Texas Congressman Ron Paul.
Sixty-five percent of the state’s 424 early presidential campaign donations amounted to $132,944 for Obama between January and September, the most recent data available.
Paul took in just over 20 percent of Hawaii donations, about $35,960, during that time. Barely trailing him was former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who is fighting to hang on to his frontrunner status in the Republican field.
But Romney demonstrated that he can command more of Hawaii’s large donations than Paul. Despite receiving only a third of the number of donations that Paul got from Hawaii, he still pulled in $34,900 for his campaign.
The remaining Republican candidates received just a handful of donations from Hawaii residents totaling less than $6,000 apiece.
How Presidential Candidates Are Stacking Up So Far in Hawaii
| Candidate | # Donations | Total Amount | Average Donation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barack Obama | 274 | $132,944 | $485 |
| Ron Paul | 85 | $35,960 | $423 |
| Mitt Romney | 28 | $34,900 | $1,246 |
| Newt Gingrich | 6 | $5,800 | $967 |
| Michele Bachmann | 14 | $5,501 | $393 |
| Tim Pawlenty1 | 2 | $3,500 | $1,750 |
| Herman Cain | 10 | $2,615 | $262 |
| Rick Perry | 2 | $1,250 | $625 |
| Gary Johnson | 1 | $500 | $500 |
| Jon Huntsman | 1 | $250 | $250 |
It appears Obama’s top donors are already decisive about their continuing support for the president: Obama was the only candidate to have received maximum $5,000 contributions聽from Hawaii individuals as of Sept. 30, 2011.
Individual donors are permitted to donate up to $2,500 to their candidate of choice for the primary election, and up to $2,500 for the general election.
Individuals Who Already Donated Maximum of $5,000 to Obama
| Name | Occupation | Residence |
|---|---|---|
| Kelly Armstrong | Retired | Oahu |
| Robert Armstrong | Founder, Armstrong Builders | Oahu |
| Lawrence Brown | BCH Holding, energy CEO | Oahu |
| Rosalie Danbury | Retired | Kauai |
| Marilyn Park | Retired | Oahu |
Obama had received 274 donations as of Sept. 30. Most of the Hawaii residents who have donated to Obama’s 2012 campaign gave in the $200 – $299 range.
Donations to Obama
| Quantity | Amount |
|---|---|
| 11 | $2,500 |
| 3 | $2,000 |
| 24 | $1,000 – 1,500 |
| 63 | $500 – $999 |
| 28 | $300 – $499 |
| 145 | $200 – $299 |
No Hawaii individual had given more than $2,500 to a Republican candidate as of Sept. 30, though Republican candidates secured one more $2,500 donation than Obama did. Here’s a look at those who donated that amount to GOP hopefuls:
Individuals Who Donated $2,500 to a Republican Candidate
| Donor | Occupation | Residence | Candidate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calvin Barlocker | Retired | Big Island | Mitt Romney |
| Margaret Barlocker | Retired | Big Island | Mitt Romney |
| Bradford Burton | Physician | Oahu | Mitt Romney |
| Norman Caris | Investment broker | Kauai | Tim Pawlenty |
| Richard Crabbe | City refuse | Oahu | Ron Paul |
| Lynne Hansen | Retired | Oahu | Mitt Romney |
| Craig Johnson | Property manager | Oahu | Mitt Romney |
| Llyod Lim | State insurance regulator | Oahu | Mitt Romney |
| Sharin Sakurai | Physician | Oahu | Mitt Romney |
| Phyllis Walker-Long | Homemaker | Big Island | Mitt Romney |
| Margaret Wheelwright | Homemaker | Oahu | Mitt Romney |
| Steven Wheelwright | Brigham Young president | Oahu | Mitt Romney |
Of course, the presidential election is just getting started. The election itself is more than one year away, and many Republican donors will likely wait to give money until a GOP nominee emerges next spring.
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Tim Pawlenty dropped out of the presidential race in August. As of mid-October, his campaign was still .
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