As Mitt Romney continues to beat President Barack Obama in fundraising, adding Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to the Republican ticket could help the GOP maintain its money advantage.
The Center for Responsive Politics broke down each of the top potential vice presidential picks ability to fundraise, with Rubio standing out above the rest. Rep. Paul Ryan and Sen. Rob Portman have also demonstrated an ability to raise large amounts of cash.
How much fundraising prowess will play into Romney’s choice remains to be seen.
Marco Rubio
On of the top contenders, Rubio raised more than $21.7 million during his 2010 campaign, demolishing his opponents independent Gov. Charlie Christ who raised about $13.6 million and Democrat Kendrick Meek who raised about $8.8 million.
Among his biggest donors were the Club for Growth donating more than $350,000 to his campaign in 2010, and Republican Senator Jim DeMint’s Senate Conservatives Fund which donated about $108,000 to Rubio in 2010.
Retirees and Republican and conservative groups accounted for his largest donating groups, giving him $1.8 million and $978,000 respectively in 2010.
Rubio has started his own leadership political action committee, Reclaim America PAC, and has raised nearly $1.12 million and has spent money supporting Sens. Scott Brown and Josh Mandel.
In total, Rubio and his PAC have raised more than $27.3 million since 2007, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Paul Ryan
So far this cycle, Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin has raised $4.2 million and has $5.4 million in cash-on-hand — not too shabby for a congressman.
In fact, ABC News reported that Ryan raised just over $1 million in three months for his Congressional race.
His biggest contributors throughout his political career have been Northwest Mutual, donating $89,300 to Ryan through individuals and PACs and has received $75,000 in PAC money from the National Beer Wholesalers Association and $65,000 in individual and PAC donations from Koch Industries.
Ryan’s biggest support comes from the insurance and securities and investment industries, donating $812,000 and $743,000 respectively during his time in office. So far this election cycle, retirees have been the most generous, donating more than $382,000.
His leadership PAC, Prosperity PAC, has recently become more active in supporting GOP candidates, throwing its weight behind candidates such as Rep. Joe Walsh of Illinois and Dan Lungren of California. This election cycle, his PAC raised more than $3.6 million, over three times what they raised in 2010.
Rob Portman
Sen. Rob Portman from the battleground state of Ohio raised $16.5 million in his 2010 senatorial campaign and more than $144,000 from his leadership PAC, Ohio’s Future PAC. His leadership PAC, renamed Promoting Our Republican Team PAC, has raised a little more than $1 million over the 2012 cycle.
Portman’s other leadership PAC, America’s Majority Trust, which he started in 2002 to support GOP congressional candidates raised $1.2 million in 2004 and $227,000 in 2006.
His biggest donors in 2010 were American Financial Group which donated more than $126,000 in individual contributions and Squire, Sanders, and Dempsey which gave him $104,100 in individual and PAC donations.
Retirees, securities and investments, and lawyers and law firms make up his largest donor base between 2007 and 2012, donating $1 million, $971,000, and $793,000 respectively.
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