INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The drive by Gov. Mitch Daniels to help Republicans regain control of the Indiana House is gaining plenty of support from out-of-state donors.
Reports show that more than a quarter of the money raised by Daniels' political action committee has come from outside Indiana. A review by The Times of Munster found almost $170,000 of the $665,000 was raised by the Aiming Higher PAC through early June — even before a fundraiser the governor held in Washington last week.
Daniels, who was a federal budget director under President George W. Bush and has been discussed as a potential 2012 presidential candidate, said he didn't have any misgivings over the PAC taking the out-of-state money.
"It's the cause that matters. The money won't be spent on me. The money won't be spent for any reason other than trying to make Indiana a better place," Daniels told The Times. "We'll take help for that cause anywhere we happen to find it."
Democrats control the House by a 52-48 margin and have held a House majority for the last four years. Republicans hold a strong majority in the Senate, and Daniels is working to gain full control of the General Assembly going into his last two years in office.
The money raised for the governor's state PAC cannot be used in federal races, said Katie Thomas, finance director for Aiming Higher.
Democratic House Speaker Pat Bauer said the PAC's fundraising was a sign of tepid support in Indiana for the governor's quest.
"I think balance in Indiana government is better and obviously most people in Indiana must think that because he's going out-of-state everywhere to get money," Bauer said.
Aiming Higher's non-Indiana contributions including $25,000 from Utah, $19,750 from Colorado, $17,500 from Ohio and $10,800 from the District of Columbia.
Daniels said many of the out-of-state donations came from "old friends" and that Indiana congressional candidates often raise a greater percentage of their campaign money from outside the state.
For instance, Democratic Rep. Pete Visclosky received 96 percent of his campaign donations from out-of-state contributors during 2008-09.
Bauer said Daniels' pursuit of the non-Indiana donations was a sign of his national aspirations.
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