GOP
area big givers to Kirk
Cornyn's top money also from Park
Cities, Preston Hollow
Democrat
Senate contender Ron Kirk is finding the gold in George W. Bush's old
neighborhood.
Mr. Kirk has
raised more money from the ZIP codes 75225 and 75205 – mostly made up of
And though the
areas are Republican strongholds, donors there have given slightly more to Mr.
Kirk than to his GOP opponent, Mr. Cornyn. The former
Not only did
the ZIP codes rank as the most generous nationwide for both candidates, but
they also helped make the
Kirk aides
said the financial support from the
"Clearly
our opponent will out-raise us overall," said Kirk spokesman Justin Lonon. "But this shows that people who know Ron Kirk
know that he governs in a nonpartisan way and can bring diverse groups
together."
Cornyn backers argue that the totals are based only on early
fund-raising reports and that many Republicans who gave to Mr. Kirk for the
spring primary will financially support Mr. Cornyn in
the general election.
"It's going to be harder, now that Kirk has
gotten through the primary, for him to get financial and political support from
Republicans," said Dan Branch, a University Park lawyer and former GOP
fund-raiser who is running for the state House. "John Cornyn
has the full backing of a popular president, and it's important for Republicans
to retake the Senate."
Kirk's
appeal
Cal Jillson, a political science professor at Southern
Methodist University, which is in 75205, said that Mr. Kirk's financial backing
stemmed mostly from his appeal as the former mayor and work with business
leaders who live in the area.
"The area
is Kirk's back yard, but it's also strongly Republican," he said.
"They'll support Cornyn, but Ron Kirk was a
popular mayor in
Overall, Mr. Cornyn's campaign had raised $4.1 million through March 31,
and Mr. Kirk had raised $3.2 million, according to a review of their financial
disclosure reports by the Center for Responsive Politics, a
Kirk donors
from 75205 and 75225 include some of the area's most prominent residents:
investor Morton H. Meyerson, car dealer Carl Sewell
Jr. and developer and sports team owner Tom Hicks.
Cornyn contributors included developer Trammell Crow, car dealer J.L. Huffines, and Mr. Hicks – one of several "double
dippers," people who contribute to both candidates.
Unlike state
races, which have no limits on donations to candidates, federal law restricts
contributions to $1,000 per individual for each election match, such as a
primary and the general election.
Jeffrey L.
Swope, a
"My sense
is that this is an unusual race for a lot of people," he said. "You
have a former mayor who was a strong proponent of the
Mr. Swope, who
describes himself as conservative, said he hasn't decided which candidate to
back. "There's a lot more consternation toward this race than there's been
toward a Senate race in quite awhile," he said.
Others who
gave to both candidates include Tom Luce, a lawyer and former GOP gubernatorial
candidate, and Albert Huddleston, a developer.
Wealthy
area
Whatever
happens, both the Kirk and Cornyn camps predict that
the
Wedged between
North Central Expressway and the Dallas North Tollway,
ZIP codes 75205 and 75225 encompass some of the wealthiest communities in
In the 2000
presidential election, residents of 75205 and 75225 gave more than any other
two ZIP codes in the country to Mr. Bush's campaign, federal records show.
The area, said
Dallas County GOP Chairman Bob Driegert, is solid
"Bush country."
Overall,
residents of 75205 gave $3.9 million in federal campaign contributions that
year, and those in 75225 gave $2.5 million.
Mr. Lonon, the Kirk spokesman, said he expected the generous
support from the area to continue.
"As
mayor, he enjoyed support from Democrats and Republicans. There are a number of
supporters that are Republican that feel like Ron Kirk is the best man to represent
them in the Senate," he said.
But officials
for Mr. Cornyn's campaign say that the balance will
tip in the Republican's favor.
"This is
Kirk's hometown, and he has a number of friends in