Conclusion: Rubio’s fundraising potential is huge, and his network in a key swing state is formidable. He could help Romney attract more individual, small-dollar donations.
Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin: Ryan is a young star in his party and he has the money to show it. While the average House Republican has raised $463,508 for the 2012 congressional elections, Ryan has amassed $3.2 million. In 2010, he raised nearly $4 million. His leadership Prosperity PAC brought in $1.1 million in the last cycle, and $3.4 million so far in this cycle. In addition to making sizeable donations to his colleagues ($556,500 to fellow House Republicans in the 2010 election), he gave $30,000 to the National Republican Campaign Committee in 2010, and $30,000 to the Republican National Committee in 2012. Ryan’s out-of-state donors have increased every year, especially in the key states of California, Florida, Virginia and New York. Ryan is also another strong Midwestern fundraiser, with nearly $200,000 in individual contributions over $200 originating in Illinois this cycle.
Conclusion: Ryan is a standout fundraiser in the House, establishing geographic diversity in his contributions and demonstrating he is willing to help maintain the financial health of the party.
Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell: During the last election cycle, he raised the most money of any of the politicians listed here, bringing in $24 million for his 2009 race. That number bested Democratic challenger Creigh Deeds by $7 million and exceeded the fundraising success for former governors Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, both Democrats. About 37 percent of his contributions came from out of state. He was also a favorite of conservative policy organizations, which donated about $2.1 million to his race.
As the head of the Republican Governors Association, McDonnell has increased his national exposure. He assumed the chairmanship after Texas Gov. Rick Perry departed for a presidential bid in August 2011. Between January 2011 and the end of the first quarter of 2012, the group raised more than $56 million, twice the total as the Democratic Governors Association. “He’s a conservative who wears well on the boardroom. You have strong conservative credentials but he has the respect of the business community,” said RGA Executive Director Phil Cox, who also McDonnell’s 2009 campaign. Asked whether McDonnell enjoys the fundraising process, Cox said, "'Enjoy' might be a strong word for it, but he’s a competitor. If you give him a number, he wants to exceed it. He’s competitive and likes to win.”
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