Many prominent Arizona business leaders and private companies have been active donors to presidential candidates, an Arizona Republic analysis shows.
Most of the state's wealthiest individuals donated to presidential contenders from early 2011 through August of this year, including Bruce Halle and his wife, Diane, who gave $8,200. The founder of Discount Tire, he recently was identified as the wealthiest person in Arizona by Forbes magazine, with a net worth of $4 billion.
Developer and Campbell Soup heir Bennett Dorrance, also on the Forbes list of five wealthiest Arizonans, contributed $5,000. Arte Moreno and his wife donated $10,000 during the campaign period. The former billboard executive is the owner of the Los Angeles Angels.
All three billionaires donated to Republican Mitt Romney.
Executives of the Arizona Cardinals, including owner Bill Bidwill, gave a combined $25,000 over the period, all to Romney. But Cardinals players were split, with defensive end Calais Campbell donating $5,000 to President Obama and tight end Todd Heap giving $2,000 to Romney.
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Robert Sarver, CEO of Western Alliance Bancorp. and majority owner of the Phoenix Suns, donated $5,000 to Romney and $2,500 to Jon Huntsman, who bowed out of the race in January. Jerry Colangelo, a former top executive with both the Suns and Arizona Diamondbacks, gave $2,500 to Romney.
Jerry Moyes and his wife donated $10,000 to Romney. In addition to being the top Swift Transportation executive, Moyes is a former owner of the Phoenix Coyotes. Real-estate executive Steve Ellman of the Ellman Cos., a past managing partner of the Coyotes, and his wife gave $5,000 to Romney.
Richard Lehmann and his wife, Sally, spread their donations totaling $6,000 among three GOP candidates: Romney, Huntsman and Herman Cain. Lehmann is the founding principal of Biltmore Bank of Arizona and a former prominent executive at both Valley National Bank and Bank One. Eric Crown, a co-founder of Tempe technology firm Insight Enterprises, also spread around his $8,600 in donations to three Republicans: Romney, Ron Paul and Tim Pawlenty.
Craig and Barbara Barrett gave a total of $10,000 to Romney and $500 to Cain. He's the former chairman and CEO of Intel Corp., and she's a Phoenix-area business leader, former ambassador and one-time Arizona gubernatorial candidate now serving as interim president of the Thunderbird School of Global Management. Sharon Lechter, co-author of many "Rich Dad Poor Dad" personal-finance books, and her husband gave $10,000 to Romney.
Many real-estate companies have contributed to campaigns, including Ed Robson and other owners and executives of Robson Communities, who collectively gave $11,000 to Romney and $7,500 to Cain. Ira Fulton and close relatives donated $7,500 to Romney. Fulton is the founder of Fulton Homes.
Among other entities, Safari Club International gave $5,000 to Romney. The Tucson nonprofit group promotes hunters' rights. The Gila River Indian Community donated $7,500 to Obama, and the Tohono O'odham Nation gave $5,000 to the president.
People affiliated with Jim Click Automotive in Tucson contributed nearly $35,700. The entire amount went to Republican candidates, with 79 percent going to Romney. Most donations came around the time Romney visited the company in September 2011.
A two-day report
Tuesday: Presidential-race donations by Arizona CEOs and employees of the largest companies.
Today: Donations by other prominent Arizona business leaders.
Republic researcher Ryan Konig contributed to this article.