All's Fair in Campaign Finance (when legal)

Over at Between the Links, a gentleman named Tim asked Alabama Representative Cam Ward , a supporter of U.S. Senator John McCain for president, how much money McCain donated to Ward's re-election campaign last year.  Ward replied:

I did receive a contribution from McCain and other Presidential candidates in the last election. In all fairness I endorsed him BEFORE receiving a contribution. It is a fair question to ask. I just dont think a 500 or 1000 contributuon in a campaign where you raised over 130000 is going to determine who you are going to endorse or not.

I would argue that a candidate like McCain gives money to politicians in Alabama to make sure they don't give someone like Ward a reason to oppose his or her presidential candidacy.  It's not they necessarily think that the contribution will win an endorsement (although Ward apparently did endorse McCain), it's pre-emptive damage control, a kind of hush money, if you will.

 

To me, another issue is why are presidential candidates who are not from Alabama giving money to candidates for state office in Alabama? I'm sure that McCain doesn't really know whether Ward is a good representative or not (not that I have anything against Ward, I'm just saying). 

 

Of course, all is fair in campaign finance, as long as it's legal.  However, one has to ask what is McCain's interest in getting involved in an election for a state legislative office in Alabama.  Sure, maybe McCain wants to help out fellow Republicans.  But it seems that McCain's (and other presidential candidates') direct interest is ensuring he doesn't give a political leader in Alabama a reason to oppose him.