Report: Obama surges in campaign donations from military members

The U.S. military has long been closely linked with the Republican party, particularly when it comes to presidential candidates, but that may be changing.

In March, President Barack Obama took in the most campaign contributions from those within the military and the Department of Defense, trumping the previous leader, conservative candidate Ron Paul, according to data collected by the Center for Responsive Politics. Despite essentially locking up the Republican nomination, Mitt Romney lags far behind.

Among donors who contributed at least $200, Obama collected $36,448 last month, compared with $17,733 for Paul and $8,630 for Romney. Of the four services, active-duty and civilian employees of the Army donated the most, $10,568, to Obama’s campaign in March. Those affiliated with the Marine Corps contributed the least, just $450.

Since January 2011, Paul remains the clear leader in donations, collecting $333,134 to Obama’s $184,505 and Romney’s $45,738.
http://www.stripes.com/blogs/stripes-central/stripes-central-1.8040/report-obama-surges-in-campaign-donations-from-military-members-1.175495