Who Gave the Most Presidential Campaign Cash in Southern NH?

Cash is the lifeblood of campaigns, including the race for the White House, and during the 2016 presidential cycle, New Hampshire residents donated more than $1.2 million to the candidates.

Republicans and Democrats received nearly the same amount of money. GOP candidates received more than $635,000 while Dems received $624,000.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton received the most money out of New Hampshire: $290,911, according to FEC filings, while rival U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders received nearly as much: $289,928.

On the Republican side, Dr. Ben Carson received the most money from Granite Staters: $89,637. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-TX, and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-FL, received nearly as much money, $89,313, and $88,634, respectively. Former Gov. Jeb Bush, R-FL, received nearly $83,000. More than $67,000 was donated to Gov. John Kasich, R-OH, while Carly Fiorina received more than $61,000. U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-KY, received more than $51,000.

For the Democrats, Clinton received a $2,700 donation from Suzanne Steele, a retired teacher from Amherst. Clinton’s largest donation from Nashua was $300 from Khalil Khatri, a physician. Her largest donation from Milford was $300 from Scott Lawrence of Linden Research. Clinton’s largest donation from Merrimack was $200 from Bruce Grothen of Hospira.

Sanders’ largest donation from Nashua came from Joshua Bates, who gave $1,914. His top donation from Amherst was $500 from Stevia Lynch. In Merrimack, the top donation was $320 from Wayne Lynch. The top donation from Milford was $150 from Thomas Mahoney, a Milford school custodian employee.

For the GOP, Carson’s top donation from Nashua was $2,700 from Richard Stanley, a retiree. He also gave $450 to Gov. Scott Walker, R-WI. In Amherst, the candidate received $500 from Suzanne Kloess, a retiree. His top donation from Merrimack was from John Garfield, a self-employed pest control operator, who also gave $500.

Cruz’s top donation in Merrimack was $1,000 from Miriam Maly of Highland Forwarding Inc. Nancy Elliott of Elliott Controls gave the campaign a $300 donation, the highest one from Amherst. James Strobridge of Nashua, who works for Pfizer, donated $750, the most from that city to Cruz.

Rubio received $1,750 in donations from David Fink, a retiree in Amherst. Fink also gave $2,700 to Walker. Rubio’s largest collection of donations of Nashua came from Nancy Schreyer, a retiree, who donated $1,590. Michael Guidry of Merrimack, who works for Analog Devices, donated $300 to the effort.

Bush’s top donation from Nashua was $1,000 from Tarl Neustaedter of Oracle. He also received $500 from Stephanie Hall of Amherst who works for Comcast and $500 from John Learned of Monadnock Vending.

Kasich received $2,700 from Thomas Litle of Nashua of Litle Group. Daniel Dufour of Amherst, who works for Comcast, donated $205. Judith Meckley, who lives in Merrimack and works for McDowell & Osbur, gave $650 to the effort.

Fiorina’s top donation in Merrimack was $2,700 from David Bieberle of BAE Systems. Her top donation from Nashua was $1,000 from John Tulley. Fredericka Hayes, a retiree from Amherst, donated $500 to the effort. State Rep. Barbara Biggie, R-Milford, donated $375 to the campaign.

Paul’s top donation from Nashua was $500 from Erin Hughes at EMC Corporation. In, Milford it was $370 from Thomas Flaherty, a consultant. All of his donations from Merrimack and Amherst were all $50 or less.

Gov. Chris Christie, R-NJ, received a $2,700 donation from F.E. Baldwin of Nashua and a $500 donation from Donald Curry of Amherst of Echelon Partners, a private equity firm.

Billionaire businessman Donald Trump received $1,000 from John Pearson of Nashua who owns Equivise. John Woods of Amherst, who is a general contractor, donated $366 to the campaign. Karen Egan of Milford donated $219.

Former state Sen. Gary Lambert, R-Nashua, donated $1,000 to U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham’s campaign.