U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole's political committee gave more than $300,000 in three years.
The Leadership Circle PAC run by the Salisbury Republican donated to 33 Republican campaigns for U.S. Senate, two Republicans running for U.S. House, the N.C. Republican Party and the National Republican Senatorial Committee, according to a database compiled by NPR.
The single biggest recipient was the NRSC, which Dole chaired from 2005 to 2007. It received $30,000.
U.S. Rep. Robin Hayes, a Concord Republican, was next, with donations totaling $15,000.
Eighteen Senate campaigns received $10,000 apiece.
The list includes Sens. Lincoln Chafee, Norm Coleman, Susan Collins, John Ensign, Conrad Burns, Jim Inhofe, Gordon Smith, Jon Kyl, Mark Kennedy, Mitch McConnell, Pat Roberts, Rick Santorum, Olympia Snowe, Jim Talent, John Sununu and John Cornyn.
It also includes the failed campaigns of Mark Kennedy, Michael Steele and Tom Kean Jr.
More after the jump.
U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole's political action committee has received $848,615 in the last three years.
The Leadership Circle PAC is separate from Dole's campaign committee, so it can receive bigger contributions from donors. As a recent report and database from NPR's Marketplace shows, leadership PACs like it are booming.
Many of Dole's contributors are familiar faces.
Between December of 2004 and December of 2007, her leadership PAC received $20,000 from lieutenant governor candidate Robert Pittenger and his wife, Suzanne; $16,750 from former gubernatorial candidate Bill Graham and his wife, Shari; and $10,000 from SAS co-founder Jim Goodnight.
Other donations came from Raleigh lawyer Kieran Shanahan, CaptiveAire owner Bob Luddy, her husband Bob, Luther Hodges Jr., billionaire resort builder Kirk Kerkorian, Raleigh developer John Kane, and former Dole running mate Jack Kemp.
The Leadership Circle PAC also received money from other PACs, including the Progress Energy PAC, Wachovia Employees Good Government Fund, the N.C. Farm Bureau, and PACs for R.J. Reynolds, Lorillard Tobacco Co., Duke Energy and Federal Express.
Bill Graham has given $223,650 to Republican candidates and groups over the past decade.
But he's also given $6,000 to Democrats.
According to a quick review of campaign contributions listed on Open Secrets and Follow the Money, the Republican gubernatorial candidate has donated to a long list of candidates—including Gov. Mike Easley.
As with his primary rivals, the biggest beneficiary has been the GOP.
From 1999 to 2005, Graham gave $52,000 to the Republican National Committee. Between 1998 and 2007, he gave $46,700 to the N.C. Republican Party Executive Committee and $650 to the state Republican Party. And in 2003, he gave $17,000 to the National Republican Congressional Committee.
He also donated to two major political action committees: $15,000 for the Leadership Circle PAC run by U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, and $10,000 for the American Spirit PAC run by former Sen. Jesse Helms.
Correction: An earlier version of this post misstated the party affiliation of a House candidate.
After the jump, the rest of the donations.