Year-end reports are due to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) by tonight, January 31. By tomorrow morning, you should have some useful data at your fingertips.
OpenSecrets.org, the Web site of the Center for Responsive Politics, will be rolling out the data as soon as it comes in. OpenSecrets writes:
After nine months of fund raising, the candidates for president in 2008 have already raised about
$420 million. This presidential money chase seems to be on track to collect an unprecedented $1
billion total. By some predictions, the eventual nominees will need to raise $500 million apiece
to compete -- a record sum.
Of course, you can always grab the raw data yourself from
FEC.gov.
The FEC Web site has some very interesting and creative maps
for both
presidential and
House of Representatives and Senate elections through September 30, 2007. Since these are government maps, you can use them on your site (with credit). It may take a little while for them to get populated with the latest data being released tonight. They currently have the third-quarter data.
The maps include highlighted circles -- the bigger the circle, the more money has come to that state. When you click on the state circles, you can see which zip codes in that state have given the most. In my opinion, the FEC Web site is outstanding -- it has such a wonderful graphic design.
The FEC maps are so cool. Let's say, for example, you wanted to know who from Gannett has contributed to a candidate. You could type "Gannett" into the employer box and see the results. Same for any employer, any contributor, any zip code even. You could see, for example, all of the "Tompkins" who have chunked money in campaigns. (None are related to me as far as I know.)
OpenSecrets.org sent information to journalists providing some answers to the following media questions:
- What data will be posted on OpenSecrets.org, and when?
- What questions can I answer with this data?
- What questions can't I answer with this data?
- Who can I interview about the data and CRP's analysis?
- If I don't see what I need on OpenSecrets.org, how can I request custom research?
OpenSecrets.org says that once the FEC receives the presidential candidates' year-end (or fourth-quarter) reports tonight, (January 31) at midnight, it plans to grab the electronically filed data soon after and categorize donations by industry, geography, company, etc.:
While much of the Center's work is automated, high-interest tasks such as fingerprinting donors by industry take significant human effort by our small but hard-working research and IT staffs, who will work through this weekend (breaking only for the Super Bowl). Only CRP and
OpenSecrets.org can deliver this detailed analysis, which we hope you'll find useful.
Following is our projected timetable for the days following the filing deadline, along with common questions that we hope to answer for you each day. Information will be posted as it becomes available.
Here is the Web address for the presidential race page on
OpenSecrets.org, where first, second and third quarter data are already posted.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1: SUMMARY DATA
What's the bottom line? Where's the money coming from, generally? Who are the individual donors to the candidate(s) I'm following? Who are the donors from my area?
Comparisons of all candidates by total raised, spent, debts and cash on hand
* Profiles of each candidate detailing percentage of funds from individuals, PACs and the candidates themselves
* Individual search for donors giving more than $200
* Contributions summarized state by state
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2: GEOGRAPHIC DATA
How is my candidate's donor base distributed around the country? How much did my state or area contribute to each candidate -- who's winning the "money primary" in my area?
* Most generous metro areas and ZIP codes for each candidate
* State/metro profiles: each candidate's haul from every state and its metropolitan areas
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 3: INDUSTRY DATA
Which business, labor and ideological interests are backing a candidate? Who's getting the most from an industry I follow?
* Sector totals and top industries contributing to each candidate
* Top contributing companies/organizations to each candidate (including PAC and individual donations)
* Candidate comparison for selected high-profile industries, from hedge funds to lobbyists and the pharmaceutical industry
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4: EXPENDITURES
How are the candidates spending their donors' money? What's being spent in my area? Who's getting paid what?
* Search of each candidate's raw expenditure data
* Categorization of expenditures -- how much was spent on advertising, staff, events, etc. -- will be incorporated at a later date
Note that in most measures, we'll be combining year-end data with existing data for the first three quarters, for a single running total.
To complete the analysis above for the media and public next week requires compressing a highly choreographed dance that normally takes 3-4 weeks into 3-4 days. Some things may happen more quickly than we have anticipated; some may take more time to deliver accurately. Bottom line: We ask for your flexibility and patience.
