Political Action Committees are private groups that donate over $1,000 to help get certain politicians elected or to advance certain issues. Congressman Chris Smith knows all about PACs.
According to Opensecrets.org, Smith has received nearly $169,125 in contributions from PACs. That is nearly 31% of his funds.
The biggest PAC contribution came from Right to Life, a pro-life organization who aims to stop abortion. OpenSecrets reports that they contributed $11,700 to Smith for the 2010 campaign.
Given Smith’s extreme anti-abortion, pro-life agenda, it does not really come as a surprise that he is supported by Right to Life. In fact, it seems that for the past 7 elections, Right to Life has been one of the major contributors to Smith’s campaigns.
Smith also has received expenditures from several smaller organizations aimed around the Judeo-Christian view. Family Research Council is one of them. They donated $3,000 to Smith’s 2010 campaign.
The rest of the top five contributors according to OpenSecrets are Operating Engineering Union at $10,000, Teamsters Union at $10,000, Laborers Union at $10,000, and finally the Carpenters & Joiners Union also at $10,000.
One of the most pressing issues in New Jersey is the educational system and teaching benefits and jobs. I found it interesting that the Teachers Union PAC, which is over 200,000 members strong, refused to endorse either Smith, or his opponent Howard Kleinhendler.
Smith's overall campaign funds are almost half of the average of other incumbents. Smith is a dominate candidate, and doesn't seem to think that he has much competition in the 2010 election. But if Smith is destined for an easy win, why do PACs still donate upwards of $10,000?
I think that the endorsement of a PAC, or the lack of an endorsement of a PAC, speaks volumes about a candidate and what they stand for.
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