Recession Dents Party Coffers

With recession raging and without a campaign to attract attention, donations to both political parties have fallen, reports the Washington Post. Donations to the six major party committees are off 26% from the same period 2 years ago. “People are feeling it,” an energy executive told Rep. Chris Van Hollen, the top Democratic House fundraiser.

The steepness of the fall in fundraising suggests that it’s more than just the usual post-election fatigue. The downturn seems to be punishing Democrats severely. Their supporters “aren’t feeling as flush as they were a year ago,” says a fundraiser. And for Republicans, being shut out of power has closed a major spigot of dollars. (More campaign fundraising stories.)