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U.S. Senate/Wikipedia
If it weren't for her appearance at the California state Democratic convention last month, it would be easy to forget that Sen. Dianne Feinstein will be up for re-election again next year.
That is, unless you're one of her donors.
Although no Republican challengers have clearly emerged to take on the 77-year-old Feinstein, the Democrat had more than $4.3 million in her campaign war chest as of late March – nearly $500,000 of which she brought in during the first quarter of this year.
Her leadership political action committee, known as the Fund for the Majority, raised an additional $11,000.
Feinstein's support over the years has come largely from Hollywood, the legal community, Washington mainstays, as well as local California players such as winemakers E & J Gallo.
Among individual contributors, not a lot seems to have changed during the first quarter, with Hollywood in particular stepping up in support.
| DONOR | SUM |
|---|---|
| ROLL INTERNATIONAL CORP | 9,600 |
| VIACOM INC | 9,375 |
| SEMANTIC RESEARCH | 9,000 |
| ESTEE LAUDER COMPANIES INC | 6,500 |
| PFIZER | 5,500 |
| WALT DISNEY CO | 5,400 |
| 20TH CENTURY FOX | 5,250 |
| WARNER BROS | 5,250 |
| ADVANCED CONST TECHNIQUES IR | 5,000 |
| DALZELL CORP | 5,000 |
| DONN LOGAN | 5,000 |
| G&Z INC | 5,000 |
| HORNBLOWER CRUISES & EVENTS | 5,000 |
| KEKER & VAN NEST | 5,000 |
| LAUDER PARTNERS LLC | 5,000 |
| MARCY WONG | 5,000 |
| MASIMO CORP | 5,000 |
| RR&G LLC | 5,000 |
| RSM CO | 5,000 |
Among PACs and organizational donors, which can contribute more than individuals, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, a labor union representing many of the behind-the-scenes employees in Hollywood, gave Feinstein her largest contribution last cycle: $30,000.
As is typical for a sitting senator, out-of-state contributors also factored large into Feinstein's fundraising. More than $200,000 of her first-quarter haul came from out-of-state donors like the ones you see below:
Despite the emergence of a clear Republican challenger, some observers have wondered whether Feinstein might be in for a tough re-election. Her fellow California senator, Democrat Barbara Boxer, won re-election convincingly last year, though she faced what she called "the toughest and roughest campaign of my life" in an election season marked by Republican victories.
Researchers at the University of Minnesota point to Feinstein's declining approval rating and a history of close elections (by California Democratic standards) as evidence that she might be more vulnerable than many prognosticators expect.
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