NM GOP raises twice as much money as Democrats

The GOP has raised twice as much money as the state Democratic Party during the past three months, according to the latest campaign finance reports the parties filed with the secretary of state's office.

Doylene Perry, wife of a Houston homebuilder who is a nationally prominent donor to conservative causes, contributed $115,000 to the state GOP at the end of June. That accounted for more than a third of the GOP's receipts from June 29 through Oct. 3. Her husband, Bob Perry, helped finance the "Swift Boat" ads against Democrat John Kerry in the 2004 presidential election.

The Perrys previously have made large contributions to GOP candidates in New Mexico and the state party. Bob Perry gave $125,000 to the state GOP earlier this year.

Oil and natural gas producers contributed $77,500 to the GOP during the most recent reporting period. Yates Petroleum of Artesia gave $40,000 and $25,000 came from Oklahoma-based Devon Energy Corp.

The Republican Governors' Association gave $75,000 to the state party. Dr. John Templeton, president of the Pennsylvania-based Templeton Foundation, contributed $30,000. He is the son of the late Sir John Templeton, a mutual fund pioneer who established the nonprofit foundation to finance projects that could reconcile religion and science.

All 112 seats in the Legislature are up for election this year and New Mexico is a battleground in the presidential campaign. New Mexico also has open races for the U.S. House and Senate that are important nationally because they will help determine whether Democrats strengthen their control of Congress.

The GOP collected $314,174 in its state campaign account since late June and spent $415,689. The Democratic Party received $139,691 and spent $156,801.

Republicans reported a cash balance of $134,135 as of Oct. 3 and the Democrats had $17,258.

Among the top donors to the Democratic Party were drug maker Merck & Co., $20,000; real estate developer Barry Lang and his wife, Janet, of Tucson, Ariz., who gave $10,000 apiece; the International Association of Firefighters, a union, $20,000; real estate developer Robert Abernethy, of Los Angeles, $10,000; and the Santa Fe County Democratic Party, $10,000. A Santa Fe real estate enterprise, BlueBird Ranch I Homeowners Association, gave $10,000. One of the company's officers and directors is Santa Fe homebuilder Sonny Otero.