Typical receipts

The Morning News also figured how much the typical legislator from each party received from various interest groups, accomplished by totaling donations to members of each party and dividing by the number of members.

A typical member raised about $36,000 in donations from all sources.

The typical Republican received from individual donor groups: $1,980 from the Utah Association of Realtors; $703 from Parents for Choice in Education; $797 from the Utah Bankers Association; $595 from Reagan Outdoor advertising; and $534 from Zions Bank.

By overall industry, a typical Republican received $4,896 from the health-care industry; $3,657 from the financial industry; $3,448 from party organizations; $2,946 out of their own pocket; and $2,991 from the real-estate industry.

The typical Democrat receipt from individual donor groups included: $1,352 from Bruce Bastian (co-founder of WordPerfect, who is a gay activist); $1,079 from the Utah Education Association labor union; $739 from the Equality Utah gay rights group; $583 from Reagan Outdoor Advertising; and $513 from the Utah Credit Union political activity committee.

By overall industry, the typical Democrat received $4,000 from the health-care industry; $3,786 from labor unions; $3,584 from the financial industry; $3,299 from ideological groups; and $1,848 from lobbyists/lawyers.

Influence bought?

Not surprisingly, some groups that often push legislation (or fight it) are among the largest donors.

Utah's banks and credit unions for years waged war as credit unions sought more banklike privileges. Banks gave current legislators a healthy $147,266 in their last campaigns, and credit unions gave a respectable $51,184.

1-800-Contacts in recent years pushed legislation to help its mail-order business for contact lenses, and it was No. 10 in the individual-donor group, giving $37,450 (spread to 60 legislators).

Some industries appeared to be gearing up for possible fights. For example, the energy industry increased donations by about 25 percent, especially among oil and gas companies (which have upset Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. and many customers with high prices, and some people have called for more regulation of the industry).

EnergySolutions (formerly Envirocare), known mostly for brushing up its image with TV ads and buying the naming rights from Larry H. Miller for what is now the EnergySolutions Arena, also spread plenty of money for fights it often sees over regulations about the low-level nuclear waste that it imports to its dumps.

It was No. 15 among large donors, giving $31,000 to 66 legislators.