GOP fund-raising may take a hit due to DeLay

updated 5:49 p.m. ET Sept. 30, 2005

WASHINGTON - Tom DeLay has persuaded donors to give more than $35 million to his Republican fund-raising operations, a steady cash flow over 10 years that the GOP fears will slow with the criminal indictment of the one-time House majority leader.

In the coming weeks, the Republicans won’t have DeLay to charm, cajole or arm-twist potential contributors. The 11-term lawmaker will be focusing on fighting a charge of conspiracy to violate Texas election law in a campaign finance scheme.

Professing his innocence, DeLay has said he is a victim of a political witch hunt.

“Tom needs to deal with this situation and get it behind him,” said former Rep. Robert S. Walker, R-Pa., a lobbyist who was a top lieutenant in the 1994 Republican revival that broke the Democrats’ 40-year stranglehold on the House and brought DeLay to power.

As House Republican whip and then the leadership’s No. 2, the hard-charging DeLay focused on Washington’s power elite and the nation’s industries, forcing contributors who had covered their bets by giving to both political parties to direct their dollars to the GOP.

“Tom DeLay’s effectiveness was not his ability to raise money, but the amount of money because people were afraid not to give,” said former Rep. Tony Coelho of California, who served as the Democratic whip.

Increased chance of Democrats winning
Troubling to the Republicans is that DeLay’s indictment combined with other GOP gloomy news — President Bush’s declining approval ratings, rising gas prices and other scandals — could convince big-money donors that the Democrats have a chance of winning next year. They fear this will depress contributions to the GOP and increase the numbers for the Democrats.

Two senior Republican officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity while the legal process plays out, said DeLay’s predicament and the other GOP woes also could hurt candidate recruitment and undercut Bush’s agenda.

One Republican — Rep. Jeb Bradley of New Hampshire — told the New Hampshire Union Leader that he was returning $15,000 that he received from DeLay’s political action committee.

Some Republicans, however, offer a more upbeat assessment.

“I don’t anticipate a significant diminution of support for Republican efforts,” said former Rep. Bob Livingston, R-La., a lobbyist.

Republican fund-raising is “very mature at all levels,” said former Rep. Bill Paxon, R-N.Y.

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