William Banks’ first donation to a political campaign was a big one: $2,300.
In May, Banks gave that to Democrat Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. It’s one of the largest single campaign contributions to Obama from Onondaga County this year.
To Banks, the donation was a contribution to history as well as to his favored candidate. “I believe that Obama may be a transformational figure in our history, at a time when we need to be transformed by new leadership,” Banks said. It was a personal first: Banks had never donated to a political campaign before.
Banks, a registered Democrat, is a Syracuse University law professor. He directs the Institute for National Security and Counterterrorism. Banks represents one of the industries that have contributed the most to the Obama campaign nationally: educators.
Educators have consistently given to Democrats more than Republicans, according to data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics in Washington, D.C. The Center is a non-partisan group that analyzes campaign fundraising and spending. Its figures on educators are from 1990 to 2008.
Here is a breakdown of contributions to Obama’s campaign from educators both locally and nationally:
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In Syracuse, nearly one quarter of the $107,127 given to the Obama campaign from the area has come from professors and faculty of local colleges and universities, according to disclosure reports from the Federal Election Commission.
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Nationally in 2008, the education industry has given $12.3 million to Obama. That is $10.7 million more than educators have given to John McCain.
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That $12.3 million from the education industry accounts for 2 percent of Obama’s fundraising total.
In the Syracuse area, university professors make up one of the largest groups of donors to Obama’s campaign. For example, at least 47 professors in the Syracuse area contributed a total of $25, 898 to Obama’s campaign. That compares to $3,300 for Republican John McCain from six professors in the Syracuse area.
This includes professors at five local colleges and universities, including Syracuse University, SUNY Upstate Medical University, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Lemoyne College and Onondaga County Community College.
These contributors helped Barack Obama make campaign finance history. Obama announced that he raised $150 million in September alone, which set a record for fundraising.
Another Syracuse University law professor, Lydia Turnipseed, a registered Democrat, also donated $2,300 to Obama. She donated to Obama’s campaign because she wanted to do what she could to make sure the Democratic nominee is elected president, she said.
“One of the sad realities about political campaigns,” said Turnipseed, “is that without money, the best candidates don’t always get their message out to the voters.”
(Jamie Munks is a senior with dual majors in newspaper and political science.)
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