Pro-George Allen Super PAC Gets $ 1 Million Donation

By Shane Goldmacher  //  October 12, 2012 | 2:35 p.m.

A super PAC formed to help return Republican George Allen to the U.S. Senate in Virginia has received an infusion of $1 million from Texas homebuilder and major GOP donor Bob Perry.

Perry made four $250,000 payments between July and September to the Independence Virginia PAC, which is run by Republican strategist Paul Bennecke, a former political director of the Republican Governors Association.

Bennecke said in an interview that the group had used the money for mailers, radio ads and satellite television ads. Radio ads have been airing for three weeks in the Bristol, Roanoke, Norfolk and Richmond media markets, he said. The focus of the spots, he said, was on Democratic nominee Tim Kaine.

"Bob Perry felt this was a good investment and this was a state that's winnable," Bennecke said. The donation, revealed in new Federal Election Commission filings, was first reported by the Huffington Post.

Another donor to the pro-Allen super PAC was Foster Friess, the wealthy Wyoming Republican who funded a pro-Rick Santorum super PAC during the GOP presidential primaries. Friess, who made headlines for his suggestion that women used to put aspirin between their knees for contraception, gave Independence Virginia $10,000. The Virginia Senate race is considered one of the most hotly contested in the country. Allen released an internal poll this week showing him ahead, but most public polls have given a slight edge to Kaine. A recent NBC/Wall Street Journal/Marist College survey had Kaine with a 47 percent to 46 percent lead. A Quinnipiac University/CBS/New York Times poll gave Kaine a seven-point edge.

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