Wharton Aerospace & Defense Report

Defense Backing Democratic IncumbentsOctober 08, 2010

With the midterm elections less than a month away and the Republicans in a good position to gain control of at least one chamber of Congress, the Democrats have found steady support from the defense industry, according to an article on Politico.com.

The online publication reviewed the industry’s campaign contributions and found that Democrats in some of the most closely contested House and Senate races are receiving support, according to the article. Defense contractors are supporting the congressional members they know and have worked with rather than backing unknown quantities.

“I think it is a basic strategic calculation of 'a bird in hand beats two in the bush,'" says David Thornburgh, executive director of the Fels Institute of Government at Wharton. "It is a system and a dynamic that plays to the cautious gene of the corporate makeup."

The article provides several examples of how the defense industry is backing Democratic incumbents, including:

• Democratic Representative Glenn Nye of Virginia is one of the top  targets for the National Republican Congressional Committee, according to the  article. While he received only $10,000 in defense industry support in 2008, he  fought to keep an aircraft carrier stationed in Norfolk Virginia. This year, he  has received 10 times that amount in defense campaign support.
  
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• Missouri Representative Ike Skelton, a Democrat and chairman of the  Armed Services Committee, is also facing a tough re-election. This year he has  raised $150,000 from his top contributors, which are Lockheed Martin, General  Dynamics, Boeing, Northrop Grumman and Finneccanica, according to the article.  Company representatives say they will increase support if he stumbles.
  
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• Democratic Representative Steve Driehaus of Ohio faces a tough  challenge from Republican challenger Steve Chabot. Driehaus has been a big  supporter of General Electric's attempt to build a second engine for the F-35  joint strike fighter. The challenger shares Driehaus' position on the alternate  engine but has received no support compared to Driehaus' $32,350 in  contributions, according to the article.

Defense industry support does not always turn into victory. Representative Todd Tiahrt's failed to win the Republican primary in the Kansas Senate race despite Boeing's support. Tiahrt had advocated on behalf of Boeing's attempt to win the Air Force tanker competition.

Thornburgh noted that if the momentum switches dramatically away from the incumbent, most corporations are not averse to hedging their bets and giving token support to the opponent as a way to open up relations.