Raw Data on the Influence of Big Pharmaceuticals

Money talks. Lest anyone think that the pharmaceutical industry does not buy its way into the hearts and minds of our elected representatives I invite you to examine the following table which depicts the amounts of monies given to influence elections at the national level over the past few years. It is to be specifically noted that these amounts do not include funds given for state aand local government elections.

Long-Term Contribution Trends



Election Cycle
Rank†
Total Contributions
Contributions from Individuals
Contributions from PACs
Soft Money Contributions
Donations to Democrats
Donations to Republicans
% to Dems
% to Repubs

2008*
17
$9,123,768
$3,793,690
$5,330,078
N/A
$4,645,972
$4,477,296
51%
49%

2006*
15
$19,598,807
$6,886,762
$12,712,045
N/A
$6,098,756
$13,192,903
31%
67%

2004*
21
$18,152,584
$8,762,375
$9,390,209
N/A
$6,088,505
$12,038,704
34%
66%

2002
10
$29,646,501
$3,420,240
$6,957,382
$19,268,879
$7,702,322
$21,919,172
26%
74%

2000
13
$26,979,580
$5,839,987
$5,649,913
$15,489,680
$8,319,097
$18,597,403
31%
69%

1998
16
$13,213,684
$2,717,835
$4,107,068
$6,388,781
$4,735,279
$8,433,560
36%
64%

1996
16
$14,022,242
$3,558,162
$3,584,217
$6,879,863
$4,880,415
$9,113,273
35%
65%

1994
20
$7,922,683
$2,031,730
$3,477,146
$2,413,807
$3,522,638
$4,396,868
44%
55%

1992
22
$7,996,064
$2,469,252
$3,205,014
$2,321,798
$3,473,446
$4,493,021
43%
56%

1990
28
$3,273,367
$809,796
$2,463,571
N/A
$1,517,129
$1,754,023
46%
54%

Total
16
$149,929,280
$40,289,829
$56,876,643
$52,762,808
$50,983,559
$98,416,223
34%
66%


†These numbers show how the industry ranks in total campaign giving as compared to more than 80 other industries. Rankings are shown only for industries (such as the Automotive industry) -- not for widely encompassing "sectors" (such as Transportation) or more detailed "categories" (like car dealers).

*These figures do not include donations of "Levin" funds to state and local party committees. Levin funds were created by the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002.

METHODOLOGY: The numbers on this page are based on contributions of $200 or more from PACs and individuals to federal candidates and from PAC, soft money and individual donors to political parties, as reported to the Federal Election Commission. While election cycles are shown in charts as 1996, 1998, 2000 etc. they actually represent two-year periods. For example, the 2002 election cycle runs from January 1, 2001 to December 31, 2002. Data for the current election cycle were released by the Federal Election Commission on Monday, January 07, 2008.

Feel free to distribute or cite this material, but please credit the Center for Responsive Politics.


NOTE: Soft money contributions to the national parties were not publicly disclosed until the 1991-92 election cycle, and were banned by the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act following the 2002 elections.