College Employees’ Donations to Obama Far Outweigh Contributions to McCain

College employees have given eight times as much money to Barack Obama’s presidential campaign — $12.2 million — as they have to John McCain’s — just over $1.5 million, making it the widest gap in donations by academics in the past five presidential elections, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics.

Obama, who taught constitutional law as a lecturer at the University of Chicago, has received donations from dozens of college presidents, from professors from a variety of liberal arts disciplines, and from faculty members at business, law, and medical schools, reports The Chronicle of Higher Education (“Donors From Academe Favor Obama by a Wide Margin,” Oct. 24, 2008).

A large amount of McCain’s donations from academic sources also came from a handful of college presidents and from faculty members at business, law, and medical schools. McCain also received donations from the head football and basketball coaches at the University of Arizona, a school in his home state.

Among the top 10 academic institutions to make donations to Obama’s campaign were the University of Chicago, Columbia University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in political science, and Harvard University, where he earned a law degree.

Top 10 Colleges With Donors Giving to Obama Campaign

1. University of California: $778,000
2. Harvard University: $496,000
3. Stanford University: $342,000
4. University of Chicago: $285,000
5. Columbia University: $267,000
6. Northwestern University: $179,000
7. Georgetown University: $179,000
8. University of Washington: $165,000
9. University of Pennsylvania: $162,000
10. New York University: $158,000

Top 10 Colleges With Donors Giving to McCain Campaign

1. University of California: $40,000
2. Harvard University: $39,000
3. Columbia University: $35,000
4. University of Texas: $33,000
5. University of Pennsylvania: $28,000
6. Northwestern University: $21,000
7. Stanford University: $19,000
8. University of Minnesota: $18,000
9. George Washington University: $17,000
10. Washington University in St. Louis: $16,000

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