Outsiders funding Utah races

Non-Utahns are providing about $3 of every $4 raised for Utah's congressional races so far this election, a Deseret Morning News analysis shows.

In fact, Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, has raised more from individual-donor New Yorkers than he has from Utahns.

Such heavy outside giving means that while Utahns may vote for their U.S. senators and representatives, outsiders are largely determining how well they are financed and how well they can reach voters. In short, outsiders may largely determine who wins.

"If outside giving is so heavy, then there can be a disconnect between the representative and his constituents," said Kelly Patterson, director of Brigham Young University's Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy.

But, he says, "if it ever comes down to a vote" in Congress between interests of home-state voters and out-of-state donors, smart politicians "have no problem abandoning their out-of-state contributors."

The Morning News evaluated campaign disclosure data filed with the Federal Election Commission by Utah congressional candidates and incumbents in 2005 and so far in 2006.

For those donors whose addresses are disclosed, 74 percent of the money overall came from out of state. That includes 97 percent of the money from special-interest political action committees; 96 percent of the money donated by party groups or politicians; and 63 percent of the money given by individuals.

Power of incumbency

The really big out-of-state money goes to incumbents, who have the power to affect law and policy now. Meanwhile, the little money that newcomer challengers tend to raise usually comes from inside Utah — or often from inside their own pockets.

For example, Bishop has received 75 percent of his money from individuals from out of state. That includes $14,000 from New Yorkers, which was more than the $11,600 he received from individual Utah donors. His Democratic challenger, Steve Olsen, received all his individual-donor money from inside Utah, and provided most of that himself.

Bishop said New Yorkers gave him more than Utahns because during the non-election 2005, "I did not hit up in-state sources that much." He said he will approach them more as interest in the upcoming election increases.

The money he raised in New York came from a Bronx fund-raiser arranged there by members of a pro-Israel political action committee.