In this series we’ve been talking about how candidates raise money for a political campaign. I’ve mentioned there are five general categories of campaign contributors.

1. Family, relatives and close friends.
2. People who know you and like you.
3. People and ideological organizations that believe in your cause.
4. People who dislike your opponent.
5. Those who need access to you if you win. We call them investors.

Today a little about those in that third category. People and ideological organizations that believe in your cause.

Who are they?

Organizations and people who support candidates that have views similar to yours. For example, if you are a candidate that wants to cut taxes, you’ll find plenty of organizations that give money to candidates who do. If you are a proponent of charter schools, there are organizations that give to candidates like you.

Where do you find them?

Most states and jurisdictions require candidates to report the names and organizations that contributed to the campaigns of candidates.

• Look at the reports of candidates who have run for the office you are seeking in prior years, and who gave to them.
• Make a special note of the interest groups and ideological organizations that supported candidates like you, or candidates who have similar values or issue positions.
• Look for candidates in other jurisdictions who espoused similar policy positions, and the ideological or cause driven organizations that gave them money.
• Inventory the registered political action committees and interest groups that give money in your state and jurisdiction, and the causes they support.

You’ll find that for every cause, there is an interest group somewhere that supports candidates willing to promote it.

I’ll be back soon with some words about another source of campaign contributions. People who dislike your opponent.

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