2008 Woodie Awards
Faculty leans Democratic with donations
Christopher Patton - The Daily Iowan
Issue date: 2/4/08 Section: Metro
Many UI professors support Democrats, a few support Ron Paul, and at least one supported Fred Thompson.
In order to comply with federal election law, presidential candidates need to report the names of individuals who donate more than $200 during a single election cycle. The Daily Iowan sifted through these reports and compiled a list of UI professors who offered financial support to a presidential candidate during 2007.
David Redlawsk, a UI associate professor of political science, said he wasn't surprised about which candidates other UI professors favored.
"I think we've known in general that professors tend to be more likely to be Democratic than Republican," he said. "But in any large organization like a university, you will have varied support."
Tim Hagle, also a UI associate professor of political science, was the only faculty member to contribute enough money to former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., to appear in the reports.
Beyond just contributing money, Hagle also served as Thompson's Johnson County chairman.
"When a lot of people were choosing candidates, I was still working for the [Justice Department], so I couldn't really get involved," he said. "By the time I was able to participate I was not satisfied with any other candidate, so I decided to support him."
Despite being the only professor to appear in the government reports as a Thompson supporter, Hagle is not the only faculty member to have contributed to a Republican candidate. However, the other three professors to support Republicans all supported Texas Rep. Ron Paul, whose libertarian-leaning views place him outside the GOP mainstream.
Brian Smith, a UI assistant professor of biostatistics, said he had never donated money to any political campaign before he decided to help fund Paul's White House bid.
"The political platform that Ron Paul was running on was more aligned with me than any candidate had been before," he said, adding that he agrees with Paul's positions regarding limiting the size of the federal government, pursuing a noninterventionist foreign policy, supporting a sound monetary policy, and standing up for personal liberties.
In order to comply with federal election law, presidential candidates need to report the names of individuals who donate more than $200 during a single election cycle. The Daily Iowan sifted through these reports and compiled a list of UI professors who offered financial support to a presidential candidate during 2007.
David Redlawsk, a UI associate professor of political science, said he wasn't surprised about which candidates other UI professors favored.
"I think we've known in general that professors tend to be more likely to be Democratic than Republican," he said. "But in any large organization like a university, you will have varied support."
Tim Hagle, also a UI associate professor of political science, was the only faculty member to contribute enough money to former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., to appear in the reports.
Beyond just contributing money, Hagle also served as Thompson's Johnson County chairman.
"When a lot of people were choosing candidates, I was still working for the [Justice Department], so I couldn't really get involved," he said. "By the time I was able to participate I was not satisfied with any other candidate, so I decided to support him."
Despite being the only professor to appear in the government reports as a Thompson supporter, Hagle is not the only faculty member to have contributed to a Republican candidate. However, the other three professors to support Republicans all supported Texas Rep. Ron Paul, whose libertarian-leaning views place him outside the GOP mainstream.
Brian Smith, a UI assistant professor of biostatistics, said he had never donated money to any political campaign before he decided to help fund Paul's White House bid.
"The political platform that Ron Paul was running on was more aligned with me than any candidate had been before," he said, adding that he agrees with Paul's positions regarding limiting the size of the federal government, pursuing a noninterventionist foreign policy, supporting a sound monetary policy, and standing up for personal liberties.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Nick
posted 2/04/08 @ 9:01 AM CST
Great, now we'll get the GOP goons out in full force bitching for the next two weeks.
Why are you reporting on this? Who cares what they do with their personal time/money?
BT
posted 2/04/08 @ 9:02 AM CST
Guess the student paper isn't the only thing thats biased.
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