You’ve heard of Beverly Hills 90210? Welcome to Cherry Hills 80110 — site of President Bush’s fundraising stop on behalf of CD7 candidate Rick O’Donnell today.
The Vetoer in Chief will be dropping by for lunch at the Cherry Hills Village home of Charlie Gallagher, the chairman of Gallagher Enterprises and a mega-donor to Republican candidates and causes. So far in this election cycle he’s forked over close to $100K to the RNC, the state Republican Party, and various Republican candidates inside and outside Colorado.In the 2000 election cycle (President Bush’s first presidential campaign), Gallagher wrote out two $100,000 checks to the Republican National Committee.
But that’s just how life goes in 80110. Nearly 5 percent of Colorado’s gross political contributions come out of this single zip code — just shy of $600,000 so far in this election cycle.
Here are a few of Gallagher’s 80110 neighbors, all of whom will likely be paying a call to his house today — lotta oil/gas/auto executives and cable-TV big shots:
Fred Vierra, Board of Directors, Jones Media Networks: — $25K to the RNC this cycle, $4K to the Beauprez campaign, and another $12K or so to various Repub candidates; donated $100K in soft money to the RNC during the 2000 election cycle.
John Saeman, Chairman of the Daniels Fund: $50K to the RNC in this cycle; nearly $100K in 2004.
Paul Rady, CEO of Antero Resources: Gave $30K to the state Republicans this cycle, $20K in the 2004 cycle.
Bill Barrett, co-founder of Barrett Resources and the Bill Barrett Corporation: Forked over $15K to the RNC this cycle, $4,200 to Rick O’Donnell, and $2,000 to Tom Tancredo. In the 2004 cycle he gave $18,000 to Republican candidates in-state and $10K each to the state and national Republican parties.
Dick Saunders, Founder of Saunders Construction: In 2006: $25K to the Republican National Committee; $20K to the state Repub Party; $4,200 to Musgrave, $2,000 to Beauprez. In 2004: $30K to the state Repubs, $18,500 to individual Colorado candidates, $15K to the RNC.
Pat Bowlen, Owner of the Denver Broncos: $16K to the state Repubs in 2004, plus $7K to Pete Coors . . . . and a $2K hedge to Coors’ opponent, Ken Salazar.
Roger Parker, Chairman/CEO of Delta Petroleum: Gave $20K in the 2004 election cycle, mostly to Republicans; has contributed $8K so far this year.
Lee Payne, Chairman/CEO of Planet Honda: $7,500 in this cycle, all of it to the Automotive Free International Trade PAC.
Brian Deevy, Chairman / CEO of Daniels & Associates: $5K to the RNC in 2004 cycle; $3,200 in this cycle.
John Elway, Owner of the Colorado Crush: Has given $1,500 to the O’Donnell campaign so far this year; gave $4K to the Pete Coors campaign in 2004.
Even the caterer of this gig is a big Republican donor — Dan Tang, owner of the Heaven Dragon Chinese Restaurant in Thornton. This year he has given $4,000 to O’Donnell, $2,000 to Beauprez, and $4,000 to Virginia senatorial candidate George Allen; in 2004 he donated $15K to Republican causes.
Gives new meaning to the phrase “fortune cookie,” I guess.
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