If the right to vote were limited to plumbers and master plumbers — well, at least to those who have contributed to a presidential candidate — Republicans would be coasting to an easy Election Day victory, and they would be doing so with a comfortable fundraising advantage. Members of this now over-scrutinized profession, it seems, want to see a Republican in the White House.
In the current election cycle, 67 plumbers and master plumbers have contributed $55,849 to one or another of the Republican presidential candidates, while 59 of their brethren have dumped $30,763 into the laps of the Democratic presidential field.
Adding contributions made during the 2004 race widens the Republican advantage a bit. Overall, during these two campaign seasons 155 plumbers and master plumbers saw fit to send $98,954 of their hard-earned dollars to Republican presidential aspirants; only 107 favored the Democrats, sending them slightly over $60,000.
2004 and 2008 election cycles:
$154,722 was given by people who identified their occupation as “plumber.”
‐ $59,383 from 105 people to Democrats
4,290 was given by people who identified their occupation as “master plumber.”
‐ $675 from 2 people to Democrats
Just the 2008 cycle:
$84,532 was given by people who identified their occupation as “plumber.”
‐ $30,488 from 58 people to Democrats
$2,080 was given by people who identified their occupation as “master plumber.”
‐ $275 from 1 person to Democrats
Source: Queries addressed to Fundrace2008 on the Huffingtonpost site.
– Michael G. Franc is vice president of government relations for the Heritage Foundation.