A few of likely Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney’s most prominent supporters have something in common. Politico and The Advocate report donors Paul Singer, Dan Loeb and Cliff Asness contributed thousands of dollars to the campaign to legally recognize gay marriage in New York last June.
Singer, the father of a gay son, donated millions to different campaigns at the state level during the last five years.
That total, according to On Top Magazine, comes to $8 million since 2007. The donations were made to pro-marriage equality groups marriage in various states, while he became one of the Republican Party’s most prominent financiers.
Contrast that with raising $1 million for Romney’s campaign and dumping $1 million into Romney’s PAC.
Singer, Loeb and Asness declined to comment for the story. Singer and Loeb reportedly encouraged New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to run for president, before Christie vetoed the gay marriage bill.
“The New York moneymen and some other Republican movers-and-shakers—such as former George W. Bush campaign manager Ken Mehlman, who came out two years ago and is now raising money from a broad swath of donors to push for gay marriage but who hasn’t made a presidential campaign endorsement—are at odds with Romney,’” write Maggie Haberman and Emily Schultheis for Politico.
Romney garnered a NOM endorsement Wednesday. The move is seen as proof conservatives firmly back Romney, since Santorum left the race Tuesday. The former Massachusetts governor has pledged to support, thanks to NOM, a federal constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.
A campaign built on using the economy against President Obama could prove problematic for Romney and Republicans, if Obama’s position on gay marriage evolves into support before the election.
Polls show Romney’s signing of the NOM pledge puts him at odds with a majority of the nation’s marriage equality supporters.
Photo: mittromney.com
