United States

Why Texans Donate So Many Dollars to Out-of-State Races

Texas is a big state with big money. This political season, Texans are shipping millions of dollars out of state, trying to influence the most important races in the country.

This year alone, between contributions to candidates and political action committees, Texans have donated more than $250 million, according to Federal Elections Commission filings. The donations rank Texas third in the country, behind California and New York.

It's no surprise to former Dallas County Republican Party Chairman Wade Emmert.

"Dallas is the ATM for the United States," Emmert said.

So are many Texas cities. The ATM effect started years ago, long before there were cash machines on every corner.

Cal Jillson, professor of political science at Southern Methodist University, says it all started with Lyndon Baines Johnson.

"LBJ, when he was a member of the House โ€“ before he even got elected to the Senate, let alone president โ€“ tapped Texas oil money and took it to Washington and it made him very prominent in the House because he was funding a lot of other people's races. Texans saw that. They have been doing it ever since," Jillson said.

That influence continues today.

"The big money coming out of Texas wants to have access not just to two Texas senators, but to 30 Republican senators that they help elect to office, so when the phone rings in those offices out of Texas somebody picks it up and says, 'Yes, sir,'" Jillson said.

NBC looked at federal election filings from the races that are toss-ups and could potentially flip the majority of the Senate. Lone Star State donors are ponying up big for races in New Hampshire, Wisconsin and Nevada.

In New Hampshire, Texas GOP donors contributed more than $450,000 to Sen. Kelly Ayotte, who is locked in a close race. The Democrats in Texas have kicked in well over $107,000 for Ayotte's challenger, Gov. Maggie Hassan.

And in Wisconsin, the numbers show more influence from the Lone Star State. Texans have given more than $280,000 to Democrat Russ Feingold, and more than $300,000 to Republican Sen. Ron Johnson.

In both states the Texas donations add up to about 6 percent of total donations. That is not a surprise to U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Dallas, who chaired the National Republican Congressional Committee and knows fundraising well.

"When you come from a state like New Hampshire or Wisconsin, where there is not a vibrant Republican base, there is not a huge bit of economic activity in those two states. They are just as equal as one vote as a Texas senator would have, so they become equal in importance to an agenda," Sessions said.

Republicans are giving more than Democrats in seven of the eight important races we examined. But in Nevada, Texas Republicans have donated more than $223,000 to Republican Joe Heck, while the Democrats have gone in big for Catherine Cortez Masto, shipping more than $280,000 to the Democrat.

"If I am a wealthy Democratic donor in Texas, I get very frustrated giving in Texas races because my money goes down the drain. They get beat every time so it's a lot more sort of fulfilling to send money out of state where a Democrat has a chance of winning," Jillson said.

Democrat donor and Texas State Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, is encouraging some out-of-state checks right now.

"I'm encouraging persons to support senate candidates outside the state of Texas," West said.

He is encouraging that because of the future of the U.S. Supreme Court. He said he wants to see the Democrats get the Senate majority and get liberal nominees confirmed. But he is hoping for the day when other states start spending their money to Texas for Democratic races.

"I'm hopeful that we will begin to have some viable candidates for the U.S. Senate seats, and so we can get other states and treat them like an ATM," West added.

Contact Us