Florida Trend Magazine - 2008 Presidential Election - Florida Campaign Financing -

Purchasing Election Power

Posted 11/1/2007

Updated 1 decade ago

Last March, nearly 20 months before Election Day 2008, Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney triumphantly announced that he’d secured Fort Lauderdale businessman Wayne Huizenga’s backing for his presidential campaign. The endorsement by the Miami Dolphins owner — a rock star in the world of CEOs — was a coup for Romney, who just one month earlier had announced a team of 77 businessmen and lawyers joining his Florida statewide finance committee. It was also a sign of just how heated the race for business support is among this crop of presidential candidates.

FLORIDA FUNDS: Presidential candidates have raised a total of $19.1 million in campaign cash in the state of Florida through Sept. 30, 2007, according to the Federal Election Commission. Democrats have raised $10.1 million, while Republicans have hauled in nearly $9 million in the sunshine state. The individual breakdown by candidate is as follows:
Candidates
Hillary Clinton (D)	$4,785,342
Rudolph Giuliani (R)	$3,526,826
Barack Obama (D)	$2,853,204
Mitt Romney (R)	$2,659,849
John McCain (R)	$1,679,210
John Edwards (D)	$1,320,507
Bill Richardson (D)	$616,955
Fred Thompson (R)	$518,481
Ron Paul (R)	$303,988
Joseph Biden (D)	$294,421
Christopher Dodd (D)	$274,194
Sam Brownback (R)	$84,540
Mike Huckabee (R)	$72,653
Tommy Thompson (R)	$56,700
Thomas Tancredo (R)	$44,680
Dennis Kucinich (D)	$16,303
Duncan Hunter (R)	$12,450
Mike Gravel (D)	$8,140
John Cox (R)	$1,815
James Gilmore (R)	$1,000
Source: Federal Election Commission

Endorsements by business leaders can help boost a candidate’s credibility on economic issues. And, of course, the value of a business executive’s support doesn’t start and end with a campaign contribution, which are limited to $2,300 per person per election, or $4,600 for the primary and general. Much more important for the candidate is the link to a broader donor pool in the form of the executive’s personal and professional networks.

The dollars add up quickly: Presidential candidates raked in more than $19 million in Florida through the end of September, according to the Federal Election Commission, making Florida third in the nation for raising campaign cash behind New York and California.

Florida Trend recently examined thousands of campaign contribution records to see which White House hopefuls Florida’s top business executives are supporting. While Romney has Huizenga, Hillary Clinton’s got Miami developer Jorge Perez. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, meanwhile, has his own team of heavy hitters, including New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner and NASCAR executive Brian France.

More than a dozen business leaders are hedging their bets. Sugar industry executives Alexander and Alfonso Fanjul, for example, have written checks to both Clinton and two of her Democratic opponents, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and Connecticut Sen. Christopher Dodd. Other business leaders — like Vector Group CEO Bennett LeBow and George Feldenkreis, CEO of Perry Ellis International — are writing checks to candidates from both parties.

The donors highlighted here are typically high-ranking executives affiliated with Florida’s top private and public companies or the top 25 Florida law firms in the state, as ranked by Florida Trend’s Top Rank Florida. We’ve focused on the six candidates who had raised at least $1 million in the Sunshine State through September.

» Next page starts lists of the top six presidential candidates in Florida who have raised at least $1 million. Each lists names top contributors and their businesses. First up: Hillary Clinton.

The following lists highlight key business leaders in the state who’ve given to the top six candidates who’ve raised at least $1 million in the sunshine state. To search for specific donors by name or business click on: http://www.fec.gov/finance/disclosure/advindsea.shtml

Hillary Clinton Senator, New York (Democrat) Florida Fundraising through Sept. 2007: $4.8 million “I know her well personally, and she is highly intelligent, driven, a passionate and relentless worker and a very caring individual.” — Jorge Perez, The Related Group, Miami [Illustration: Robert Zammarchi]
Senior Executive	Company and City	Business	Donations
Leonard Abess	City National Bancshares Miami	Security broker/dealer	$2,300
S. Daniel Abraham	Slim Fast Foods Palm Beach	Weight loss management	$4,200
Sukrit Agrawal	American Medical Depot Miami Beach	Medical and surgical supply distributor	$2,300
Robert Altman	Altman Architects South Miami	Architecture	$4,600
Antonio Argiz	Morrison Brown Argiz and Farrah Coral Gables	Independent accounting firm	$1,000
Carlos Arruza	SSI Petroleum Belle Glade	Petroleum and petroleum products	$4,600
Steve Bandel	Cisneros Group Coral Gables	Consumer products, mining, entertainment	$2,300
Irving Bowen	Los Olas Company Fort Lauderdale	Hotels	$2,000
Frank Brunckhorst	Boars Head Sarasota	Delicatessen products	$2,300
Raul Casares	RC Aluminum Industries Inc. Miami	Door, window, handrail fabricator	$2,300
Calvin Carter	Carter Insurance Group Tampa	Niche insurance for automotive industry	$2,500
Paul Cejas	PLC Investments Miami Beach	Investment firm	$4,600
Charles Clarkson	The Clarkson Group Jacksonville	Investment firm	$2,000
Raul Claure	Brightstar Corp. Miami Beach	Wireless device distributor	$2,300
George Cloutier	American Management Services Orlando	Profit maximization services	$4,200
Hector Dasso	Real Estate Development Group Miami	Developer	$2,300
Alex De La Cruz	New Century Tobacco Group Miami	Tobacco products	$2,000
Howard Dvorkin	HSD Holdings Parkland	Holding company	$4,600
Robert Eichner	Onboard Media Surfside	Marketing for cruise and travel industry	$1,000
Charles Fabrikant	SEACOR Holdings Inc. Palm Beach	Marine Services	$4,600
Alexander Fanjul	Flo-Sun West Palm Beach	Cane sugar refining	$4,600
Alfonso Fanjul	Flo-Sun West Palm Beach	Cane sugar refining	$4,600
Andres Fanjul	Flo-Sun West Palm Beach	Cane sugar refining	$4,600
Joseph Esformes	Pacific Tomato Growers Palmetto	Fruit and vegetable growers	$4,600
Miguel Fernandez	Physicians Health Plan Coral Gables	Managed care company	$2,300
Hector Fortun	Hub International Fortun Coral Gables	Insurance broker	$2,300
Manzar Ghomeshi	Great Florida Bank Weston	Banking	$2,300
Kay Hancock-Apfe	Consumer Asset Management lMiami	Real estate and consumer loan servicing	$4,600
Raymond Hyer	Gardner-Gibson Inc. Tampa	Protective coatings manufacturer	$2,300
Francis Issa	ISSA Homes Celebration	Residential builder	$4,600
Steven Green	Greenstreet Partner Miamis	Private merchant bank	$4,600
Tammy Green	The Green Agency Miami Beach	Talent agency	$1,000
Dany G. Johnson	JDM Partners LLC Miami	Investment advisory services	$4,600
Kobi Karp	Kobi Karp Miami Beach	Architecture and interior design	$4,600
Raymond Kayal	Newslink Miami	Airport newsstand operator	$1,500
Ford Kiene	City Beverages of Orlando Orlando	Anheuser-Busch distributor	$2,300
Fred Kirtland	Merrill-Stevens Dry Dock Miami	Yacht services company	$4,200
Sidney Kohl	Sidney Kohl Company Palm Beach	Real estate development/ investing	$4,600
Debra Kolsky	Redevco North Miami	Commercial developer	$2,500
Benjamin Lap	Biotech-Pharma Advisory Fort Lauderdale	Vaccine research	$4,600
Natalie Mackey	CEG Public Relations Palm Beach Gardens	Public relations	$4,600
Thomas McDonald	Craven Thompson & Associates Parkland	Engineering planners, surveyors, landscape architects	$2,000
Thomas P. Murphy	Coastal Construction Miami	General contractor	$4,600
Bruce Orosz	ACT Productions Miami Beach	Full service event production	$1,000
Jorge Perez	The Related Group Miami	Real estate developer	$4,600
Glenn Parker	NationsHealth Sunrise	Medical supplies and medication	$2,500
Cheryl Peisach	Passion Growers Doral	Floral products	$4,600
Jaime Peisach	Passion Growers Doral	Floral products	$4,600
Mark Penn	Penn Schoen and Berland Miami Beach	Political consulting firm	$4,200
Ju’Coby Pittman	Clara White Mission Jacksonville	Non-profit organization	$1,000
Jimmy Pflucker	Gables Sports Cars Coral Gables	Luxury car dealership	$1,000
FJ Pollak	Tracfone Wireless Miami Beach	Prepaid wireless service	$4,400
Lois Pope	Lois Pope Life Foundation Delray Beach	Charitable organization	$2,300
Richard Schechter	Bainbridge Cos. LLC Wellington	Real estate developer and management	$2,300
Anthony Shriver	Best Buddies International Miami Beach	Non-profit	$4,600
Freddy Sidi	Auris Technology Miami	Telecommunications platform service provider	$2,300
Robb Steinberg	Lawex (TrialWorks) Miami	Legal profession software	$2,300
Nicolina Stewart	Capital Management Bradenton	Wealth management	$4,600
John Sumberg	Bilzin Sumberg Baena Price & Axelrod Miami	Law firm	$1,000
Fabio Vazquez	Miami Executive Aviation Miami Lakes	Aircraft charter, sales, management	$2,300
Elliot Wiener	Levitt Homes Delray Beach	Residential developer	$4,000
Jorge Woldenberg	COLPAC Steele Products Bal Harbour	Pipe and steel distributor	$4,600
Philip Wolman	Aranon Corp. Coral Gables	Optical goods	$4,600
Claudia Zylberberg	Akron Biotech Delray Beach	Animal serum and new reagents	$2,300

Next page: Rudy Giuliani

Rudy Giuliani Former mayor, New York (Republican) Florida Fundraising through Sept. 2007: $2.6 million “He is the strongest fiscal conservative running for president.” — Deborah Jallad, Accredited Holding Corp., Winter Park, $4,600 [Illustration: Robert Zammarchi]
Senior Executive	Company and City	Business	Donations
Michael Aranda	E.H. Building Group Palm Beach Gardens	Homebuilder	$4,000
James Arrigo	Arrigo Dodge West Palm Beach	Car dealership	$2,000
Peter Barowoff	Promise Healthcare Boca Raton	Long-term acute care hospital organization	$2,100
Richard Bernstein	Richard S. Bernstein & Associates Palm Beach	Insurance advising	$4,600
Robert Bernstein	Spectrum Health Solutions Parkland	Outpatient surgery centers	$2,300
Thilo Best	Horizon Bay Senior Communities Tampa	Senior housing communities	$4,600
David Brandon	Brandon Construction Ozona	Construction/general contractor	$4,600
Peter Brock	Brock Development West Palm Beach	Real estate development and management	$2,000
John Burpee	N.A.I. Tampa Bay St. Petersburg	Commercial real estate services	$1,000
Michael Bynum	Tampa Farm Service Tampa	Egg producer	$2,300
Robert Campbell	B.B.C International Boca Raton	Footwear	$2,300
Rick Case	Rick Case Enterprises Hillsboro Beach	Automobile dealerships	$2,300
Marshall Chernin	Central Beef Industries Tampa	Meat packing	$2,300
Thomas Corr	George E. Warren Corp. Vero Beach	Wholesale petroleum distributor	$2,300
Michael Chiusano	Cusano Cigars Bradenton	Cigar manufacturing	$2,300
John Collins	Gulf Building Corp. Fort Lauderdale	Commercial developer	$2,300
Blaise Collura	Eastern Ribbon and Roll Tampa	Blank paper roll manufacturer	$3,000
Earl Crittenden	Crittenden Fruit Company Orlando	Citrus	$1,000
Myra Janco Daniels	Philharmonic Center for the Arts and Naples Museum of Art Naples	Arts	$2,300
Remedios Diaz-Oliver	All American Containers Inc. Miami	Glass, plastic and metal containers manufacturer	$2,300
John Esposito	Bacardi U.S.A. Miami	Liquor	$4,600
Jerome Falic	Duty Free Americas Bal Harbour	Travel retailer	$4,600
Simon Falic	Duty Free Americas Bal Harbour	Travel retailer	$4,600
George Feldenkreis	Perry Ellis International Inc. Miami Beach	Clothing manufacturing	$1,000
Hector Fortun	Fortun Insurance Coral Gables	Insurance	$4,600
Brian France	NASCAR Daytona Beach	Stock-car racing	$4,600
James France	International Speedway Corp. Daytona Beach	Auto racing events, merchandizing	$4,600
E.V. Goings	Tupperware Brands Corp. Windermere	Kitchen products	$2,300
Edward Goldman	M.D.V.I.P. Parkland	Physician network	$4,200
Murray Goodman	Goodman Company West Palm Beach	Commercial retail development	$2,300
Tom Harb	Harbco Construction Windermere	Construction Management	$1,000
Mel Harris	Preferred Employers Group Miami	Insurance products for targeted industries	$2,500
Mike Jackson	Autonation Fort Lauderdale	Automobile dealerships	$2,300
Robert Jakubowicz	Megatrade Corp. Coconut Grove	Ceramic and porcelain tile	$4,600
Deborah Jallad	Accredited Holding Corp. Winter Park	Underwriting bail bonds	$4,600
Johnny Jallad	Accredited Holding Corp. Winter Park	Underwriting bail bonds	$4,600
John Kiefer	First Capital West Palm Beach	Loans for small and mid-sized companies	$1,500
Teddy Klinghoffer	Akerman Senterfitt Weston	Law firm	$2,300
Keith Koenig	City Furniture Tamarac	Retail home furnishings	$1,000
Bennett Lebow	Vector Group Ltd. Fisher Island	Tobacco products	$4,600
Robert Lefort	Connextions Inc. Orlando	Consumer service center for healthcare	$1,500
Alan Lieberman	South Beach Group Aventura	Developer/hotels	$1,250
Stanley Markofsky	Skymark Real Estate Investments Boca Raton	Real estate investment and development	$2,100
Troy Maschmeyer	Maschmeyer Concrete Palm Beach	Concrete	$1,000
Frank D. McKinney	J. Rolfe Davis Insurance Orlando	Property and casualty insurance	$2,300
James McDonnell IV	Pro-Lab Weston	Environmental laboratory testing services	$2,300
Craig Miller	Ruth’s Chris Steak House Inc. Heathrow	Restaurants	$4,600
Kenneth Morin	Morin Development Group Tampa	Developer	$2,300
Mario Murgado	Brickell Motors Miami	Car dealership	$4,600
Carlos Musibay	Global Solutions South Miami	Financial management	$2,300
Anthony Pasquale	Conquest Development Delray Beach	Architecture	$2,300
Burt Rapoport	Rapoports Restaurant Group Boca Raton	Restaurants	$1,100
Harry Sargeant III	Sargeant Marine Boca Raton	Asphalt tankers and barges	$4,600
Stephen Shelton	Shelton Dealerships Fort Lauderdale	Automobile dealerships	$1,000
Austin Shanfelter	MasTec Inc. Fort Myers	Telecom infrastructure services	$1,900
Paul Simino	One Simple Loan Oldsmar	Student loan consolidation	$2,300
George Steinbrenner	New York Yankees Tampa	Baseball	$2,300
Terry Stiles	Stiles Corp. Fort Lauderdale	Real estate developer	$2,300
David Storey	Relm Wireless Corporation Melbourne Beach	Two-way radios	$1,000
Douglas Stuart	Power Trip Beverages Davie	Energy drinks	$4,600
Douglas Weiland	J.E.S. Properties Clearwater	Development	$2,300
Mark Yaffe	National Gold Exchange Inc. Tampa	Rare coin wholesaler	$2,300

Next page: Barack Obama

Barack Obama Senator, Illinois (Democrat) Florida Fundraising through Sept. 2007: $2 million “I believe that Sen. Obama represents the turning of the page from mistrust and divisiveness to caring about each other.” — Adrienne Arsht, TotalBank, Miami [Illustration: Robert Zammarchi]
Senior Executive	Company and City	Business	Donations
Antonio Argiz	Morrison Brown Argiz and Farra Coral Gables	Independent accounting firm	$1,000
Joe Arriola	Inktel Direct Miami	Direct marketing	$4,600
Adrienne Arsht	TotalBank Miami	Community Banking	$4,600
Simone Barefield	Gans Gans & Assoc. Plant City	Human resources consulting/exec search	$1,000
Jose Cancio	Central Concrete Supermix Inc. Key Biscayne	Concrete products	$2,300
Joseph Capitano	Radiant Oil Company of Tampa Tampa	Convenience stores and gas	$1,000
Carlos Cueto	Interpress Communications Coral Gables	Translations and copywriting	$2,000
Hector Dasso	Real Estate Development Group Miami	Developer	$500
Chris Diamantis	Millennium Settlements Tallahassee	Annuity settlements	$4,500
Jack Glottmann	Saglo Development Corp. Miami Beach	Commercial real estate developer	$1,000
Lorna Gregory	Premier Eye Care Tampa	Healthcare	$2,300
Suresh Gupta	Park Square Enterprises Orlando	Home builder/developer	$1,000
Henry Howard	US Education Finance Group Miami	Student loan company	$2,300
Charles Intriago	Alert Global Media Coconut Grove	Publisher of the Money Laundering Alert	$2,300
Francis Issa	ISSA homes Celebration	Residential home builder	$4,600
Donald Jernigan	Adventist Health System Longwood	Healthcare	$1,000
Joseph Landers	Unicorn Financial Tallahassee	National patient finance company	$4,600
Bennett LeBow	Vector Group Ltd. Miami Beach	Tobacco products	$2,300
Howard Lorber	Vector Group Ltd. Miami	Tobacco products	$2,300
Emilio Martinez	Caribe Homes (Founder) Miami	Residential home builder	$1,000
Kenneth Morin	Morin Development Group Tampa	Developer	$2,300
Sidney Morgan	Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida Lutz	Healthcare	$2,300
Frank Morsani	Automotive Investments (retired) Lutz	Automobile dealerships	$2,300
Thomas Murphy	Coastal Construction Miami	Commercial and residential construction	$2,300
Claudio Osorio	CHS Electronics Miami Beach	International microcomputer product distributor	$2,300
Anthony Paquin	Paquin Group Celebration	Healthcare retail consultants	$2,100
Timothy Payne	MPS Group Inc. Ponte Vedra Beach	Specialty staffing, consulting and business services	$4,600
Benjamin Philips III	ORACAL USA Jacksonville	Premium pressure-sensitive graphics/printing	$4,600
Bob Poe	Emergency Communications Network Sanford	High-speed emergency communications services	$1,000
Richard Powell	Access Health Solutions Parkland	Medicaid managed care entity	$4,600
Frank Rodriguez	Corporate Creations International Palm Beach Gardens	Registered agent services	$1,000
Francisco Sanchez	Renaissance Steel Tampa	Structural light-gauge steel	$2,300
Gary Sasso	Carlton Fields, P.A. Tampa	Law firm	$1,000
Richard Schatz	Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson P.A. Miami	Law firm	$1,00
Jeffrey Seaman	Rooms To Go Seffner	Retail furniture	$4,600
Rosa Sugranes	Iberia Tiles Corp. Key Biscayne	Ceramic tile, marble, stone distributor	$2,000
Paula White	Without Walls International Church Tampa	Christian ministries	$2,300
Jorge Woldenberg	COLPAC Steele Products Bal Harbour	Pipe and steel distributor	$1,000

Next page: Mitt Romney

Mitt Romney
Former governor, Massachusetts (Republican)

Florida Fundraising
through Sept. 2007:
$2 million

“His respect for differing points of view and ways of life is compassion at its best.” — Mel Sembler, Sembler Co., St. Petersburg

[Illustration: Robert Zammarchi]