http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2008/08/troops-deployed-abroad-give-61.htmlAccording to an analysis of campaign contributions by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, Democrat Barack Obama has received nearly six times as much money from troops deployed overseas at the time of their contributions than has Republican John McCain, and the fiercely anti-war Ron Paul, though he suspended his campaign for the Republican nomination months ago, has received more than four times McCain's haul.
Despite McCain's status as a decorated veteran and a historically Republican bent among the military, members of the armed services overall -- whether stationed overseas or at home -- are also favoring Obama with their campaign contributions in 2008, by a $55,000 margin. Although 59 percent of federal contributions by military personnel has gone to Republicans this cycle, of money from the military to the presumed presidential nominees, 57 percent has gone to Obama.
Contributions from U.S. Troops Deployed Abroad Recipient Total Number
Obama, Barack $60,642 134
Paul, Ron $45,512 99
McCain, John $10,665 26
Huckabee, Mike $7,950 10
Thompson, Fred $6,350 7
Romney, Mitt $5,550 10
Clinton, Hillary $3,240 6
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Individuals in the Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps have all leaned Republican this cycle, but the only branch in which that ideology has carried over to the presidential race is the Marine Corps, where McCain leads Obama by about $4,000. In each of the other branches -- including the Navy, in which McCain served when he was taken prisoner during the Vietnam War -- Obama leads by significant margins.
"That's shocking. The academic debate is between some who say that junior enlisted ranks lean slightly Republican and some who say it's about equal, but no one would point to six-to-one" in Democrats' favor, said Aaron Belkin, a professor of political science at the University of California who studies the military. "That represents a tremendous shift from 2000, when the military vote almost certainly was decisive in Florida and elsewhere, and leaned heavily towards the Republicans."
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Contributions from All Military Personnel Recipient Total Number
Obama, Barack $335,536 859
McCain, John $280,513 558
Paul, Ron $232,411 537
Clinton, Hillary $167,050 376
Republican National Cmte $135,902 219
Huckabee, Mike $66,751 127
Thompson, Fred $46,400 93
Romney, Mitt $43,307 96
Giuliani, Rudolph W $22,050 47
National Republican Senatorial Cmte $21,885 26
DNC Services Corp $16,873 53