Pleasanton: Top Republican Presidential Campaign Contributors

Pleasanton, CA - Super Tuesday solidified rankings on the Republican presidential ticket with Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio the clear front runners. Here’s the total delegate count as it currently stands:

1. Trump - 316
2. Cruz - 226
3. Rubio - 106
4. Kasich - 25
5. Carson - 8

• Related: When Is California’s Presidential Primary 2016?

At campaign rallies Tuesday night, John Kasich and Dr. Ben Carson both vowed to fight on.

Carson told supporters, “Millions of Americans plead with me to continue. They want to have a choice and a representative voice to ensure people of faith are not marginalized and that integrity is restored to leadership, with a focus on common sense solutions to the myriad problems we face as a nation. They know I am a citizen candidate, not a politician, who won’t do what is expedient, but what is right.” However, on Wednesday he told supporters that he sees no “political path forward” to the White House.

Kasich’s Facebook page Wednesday morning said, “It’s time. We’re heading to our home turf. John Kasich is ready to reset this race, stop Donald Trump, win the nomination and defeat Hillary Clinton in November.”

Californians are passionate about politics, supporting candidates with both their votes and checkbooks. Thus far, residents have donated $47.3 million to all presidential candidates during the 2016 campaign with $18.7 million going to Republicans, according to the Federal Election Commission (FEC). The maximum amount of money an individual can give to a campaign under federal law is $2,700.

• Related: Pleasanton’s Top Democratic Presidential Campaign Contributors

Of the five remaining Republican candidates, Rubio has picked up the majority of donations with $4.5 million, followed by Cruz with $3.1 million, Carson with $2.7 million, Kasich has received $708,000 and Trump trails with 208,000.

How much of that has come from Pleasanton? Here are the top local donors for the three frontrunners:

Donald Trump:

• Richard Bland— $500
• Taylor Vaughn— $500

Ted Cruz:

• Mark Hoffman— $750
• Bryan Bowers— $250
• Jackie Byerly— $250
• Earl Whetstone— $250

Multiple residents donated smaller amounts

Marco Rubio:

• James Benham— $1,000
• Mark A. Hoffman— $1,000
• Edward Boule— $500
• Steve Berberich— $500
• James Z. Holtz— $250
• Karen Wenzinger — $250
• Alan Fisher— $250
• Ann Fisher— $250

Multiple residents donated smaller amounts

• Related: California Voters Increasingly Disenchanted with the Major Parties, Especially the GOP

Super PACs

While the campaigns have raised plenty of money through individual contributions, Super PACs have poured tons of money to support campaigns as well.

Outside groups have raised $46,726,605 for Cruz, $13,807,549 for Carson, $34,313,903 for Rubio, $6,729,311 for Kasich and $1,894,509 for Trump, according to OpenSecrets.

--Image via Shutterstock