Presidential candidates have been stumping in Maryland for tomorrow's primary for a week, but they've had their hands out here for more than a year - tapping into a broad and generous base of campaign donors.
Relying on the state's deep pool of federal workers, Washington-based lawyers, defense contract employees and professors, the candidates managed to scoop nearly $11 million out of Maryland in 2007, making the state one of the biggest players in the political money game.
While many pundits believe Illinois Sen. Barack Obama is the favorite in Maryland's Democratic primary, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton bested him in fundraising, according to an analysis of last year's Federal Election Commission data.
Clinton raised more in Maryland - $3.8 million - than Obama and Republicans John McCain and Mike Huckabee combined.
"There's just a lot of activity and a lot of excitement," said former Michigan Gov. James J. Blanchard, a partner with DLA Piper, whose employees gave nearly $30,000 to Clinton and about $8,000 to Obama.
"We're just very active politically, and we're very large."
Federal campaign finance regulations generally prohibit businesses from contributing, but donors are required to list their employers.
Businesses with the most generous employees tended to be law firms, such as DLA Piper, which has offices in Baltimore, and Washington-based Hogan & Hartson, whose Maryland employees gave about $50,000.
Employees of the hotelier Marriott International contributed roughly $50,000. Faculty and staff of the region's largest universities, including the University of Maryland, Georgetown University and the Johns Hopkins University, gave tens of thousands of dollars each.
Federal government workers in Maryland were by far the largest group of campaign donors. Together, they made roughly 560 donations worth at least $171,000. Clinton and Obama benefited about evenly from those donations - taking roughly $70,000 each - and McCain, the Arizona senator, received about $21,000.
"That's one of the defining characteristics of Maryland," John T. Willis, a senior executive in residence at the School of Public Affairs at the University of Baltimore, said of the state's federal employees. "That's one thing that makes us different."
Willis, who wrote a book on presidential politics in Maryland, cautioned against reading too much into the fight to raise money.
For one thing, donations do not necessarily translate into votes, he said. Also, the 2007 campaign finance data, the latest available, do not include what was collected during this year's primaries.
For example, the data show Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor, collecting just $60,000 in Maryland. But his campaign only took off nationally after his win in the January Iowa caucuses.
What is not likely to change, however, is that the largest amount of money is plucked from the Washington suburbs - nearly $9 million from Prince George's and Montgomery County zip codes - and that the state gives overwhelmingly to Democrats.
Douglas Becker, chairman and chief executive officer of Baltimore-based Laureate Education Inc., gave $4,600 to Clinton and $2,300 to Obama. He also contributed to Democrat Christopher J. Dodd, who subsequently dropped out.
Becker, a lifelong Democrat, said by e-mail that he would gladly support either candidate as long as he or she shows some commitment to business.
"I saw Clinton and Obama early on as the front-runners and wanted to support their efforts," Becker said. "I want to support Democrats who balance their policy objectives with a healthy respect for the business sector."
Employees at Johns Hopkins were among the most prolific givers in the Baltimore region, and they tended to give to Democrats - about evenly to Obama and Clinton.
Hopkins spokesman Dennis O'Shea, who noted that the university itself has no stake in the election, said that it makes sense that the school employs so many people who wind up giving.
"We've got faculty, staff and students that are highly engaged in civic life," O'Shea said. "They care about what's going on in this country, so it's not surprising that they're going to demonstrate that concern, in part, by supporting the candidates of their choice."
One of the best-represented employers in the state is no employer at all. Maryland contributors who listed "retired" as their occupation accounted for more than $630,000 in donations.
One of them, Charles Bankard said he decided to give money to John McCain after receiving solicitations in the mail and by phone. Bankard, a registered Democrat, gave about $300 last year, before McCain's recent victories.
"Of course, I'm cheered up that he looks like he's getting nominated," Bankard said. "It looks as though his campaign has not been a waste of time or money after all."
john.fritze@baltsun.com