What their campaign contribution history tells us about Cutler’s GOP supporters

The five people touted as GOP faithfuls who endorsed independent gubernatorial candidate Eliot Cutler on Friday have together donated about equal amounts to other independent candidates and Republican candidates for state office in the past 10 years.

One of the people who endorsed Cutler on Friday gave money this year to incumbent Republican Gov. Paul LePage and none had donated to Democratic candidate Mike Michaud.

The figures come from a search through campaign finance records in a database maintained by the National Institute on Money in State Politics, which upgraded its database and collection methods this year.

The records show four of the five people who endorsed Cutler on Friday have donated to state-level political campaigns in the past 10 years, giving a collective $2,475 to Republican candidates and about $2,150 to independent candidates, not including Cutler.

Two of the new endorsers — Steve DiMillo and Robert Hews — have given $1,500 to Cutler for his 2014 campaign. Hews is, by far, the most active donor of the group, having donated to Democrats as late as 2000. Hews also donated $500 to LePage’s campaign this year and $750 to Republican congressional hopeful Kevin Raye, who lost his party’s primary to run for Michaud’s House seat in Maine’s 2nd District.

DiMillo, owner of a restaurant and marina on Portland’s waterfront and a yacht dealership and brokerage, has given to Republican legislative candidates in the past, but has already put down significantly more money behind Cutler, donating $1,500 so far in this election.

Moser, whose namesake Auburn-based company makes high-end wood furniture, has a solid streak of contributions to independent candidates, contributing to independent Sen. Angus King’s gubernatorial campaigns in the 1990s and independent David Flanagan’s gubernatorial campaign in 2002.

Hews and Moser both have donated to candidates personally and through their companies. Those donations are all grouped together under one name in the views above.

Bri Warner, a former diplomat and founder of Portland Pie Line, was the only member of the group with no history of political contributions.

Darren Fishell

About Darren Fishell

Darren is a Portland-based reporter for the Bangor Daily News writing about the Maine economy and business. He's interested in putting economic data in context and finding the stories behind the numbers.