Carolina Public Press looks at who’s funding WNC congressional campaigns

From Carolina Public Press:

Excerpt from “From PACs to individuals, who is funding Foxx, McHenry, Meadows campaigns’ coffers?”
by James Harrison

It’s no secret that winning a seat in Congress takes money — big money. But odds are you’ve never been to a political fundraiser, let alone donated to a candidate.

So how did U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry, a five-term Republican congressman representing North Carolina’s 10th District, attract more than $675,000 in campaign cash last year?

And where did the $1.8 million padding 5th District Republican U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx‘s re-election war chest come from?

Less than 10 percent of Americans are willing to part ways with hard-earned cash in order to support candidates running for federal office, research from the non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics shows. And an even fewer amount of voters are generous enough to give away sums in excess of $200 — the minimum amount required for contributions to be itemized by the Federal Election Commission and become public record. …

The sources of contributions can be revealing, and much of the information is available for public review. And although disclosures won’t show anything to remotely suggest vote buying, the lists of donors offer a clear sign of who cares about the role of lawmakers in Western North Carolina — and who’s willing to finance efforts to help them keep their seats. …