The list of big spenders from Southern Arizona this election cycle includes several of the usual suspects, as well as a few surprises.
Few will be shocked to hear that automotive mogul Jim Click and his clan have contributed $450,000 to Republican candidates and causes.
But it may surprise many in the Old Pueblo to read that the chair of the Arizona Democratic Party, Bill Roe, and his wife, Alice Roe, have poured in $490,000 to support Democratic candidates and causes.
Neither family tops the list, though.
That spot belongs to Paavo and Marguerite Ensio, who have spent $546,000 backing conservative causes, with most of that going to one Christian conservative super PAC that has spent very little in Arizona.
As political players, the Ensios have flown under the radar. Paavo Ensio, a mineral company entrepreneur who grew up in Canada, has never before spent so much money on elections and is not a well-known political mover and shaker.
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Although the motivating factors vary - promoting a certain view of morality for Ensio, habitat conservation for Bill Roe - donors see their contributions as a means to fulfilling their goals.
"I wish I could do more contributions right now," Roe said. "This election it seems to me is the most extreme, the most partisan I've ever witnessed. I find it unsettling, a threat to democracy as we know it."
While he contributes directly to local conservation issues, he thinks political contributions are also necessary because conservation depends on political will and public budgets to maintain the land set aside and to put in place appropriate regulations.
Roe laments that his half-million pales next to layouts from national political titans.
Here's a look at five of the 11 biggest spenders from Southern Arizona and which candidates and causes they backed; we'll tell you about other top spenders in Saturday's Star.
The Ensio family
Who they are: Paavo Ensio is an international businessman in the industrial minerals field, and Marguerite is his wife and a homemaker. Their son Mark and his wife, Rachelle, also contribute.
Party lines: Christian conservative Republicans.
How much they've spent so far: $546,000.
Who they're backing: Mitt Romney, Martha McSally, Jonathan Paton, Gabriela Saucedo Mercer and Al Melvin.
Favorite causes: They have given $475,000 to the Faith Family Freedom Fund, a Christian conservative super PAC affiliated with the Family Research Council - of which Paavo Ensio is on the board of directors in Washington, D.C. The super PAC bought radio ads supporting Paton and McSally.
Surprises: They haven't spent a dime in the U.S. Senate race.
Bill and Alice Roe
Who they are: He's a former attorney and chairman of the Pima County Conservation Acquisition Commission. She's president of the Blenman-Elm Neighborhood Association and chairs military and university community relations groups.
Party lines: True-blue Demo-crats.
How much they've spent so far: $490,000.
Who they're backing: President Obama, Richard Carmona, Ron Barber, Ann Kirkpatrick and Raúl Grijalva.
Favorite causes: Democratic Party organizations. They gave $240,000 to the Arizona Demo-cratic Party, which Bill Roe chairs.
Surprise: The longtime Tucsonans gave the combined maximum of $10,000 to Democrat Kyrsten Sinema, who is running in CD9 in the Phoenix area.
The Click family
Who they are: Led by patriarch Jim Click Jr., the family owns and runs the Click auto dealerships. Jim and Vicki Click have two adult children: Chris Click and Carrie Click.
Party lines: Republicans all the way.
How much they've spent so far: $452,000.
Who they're backing: Romney, Jeff Flake, Paton, Ethan Orr, Adam Kwasman, Tyler Mott and Ted Vogt.
Favorite causes: Jim Click gave $50,000 to the Romney-loving Restore Our Future super PAC.
Surprises: The Clicks backed several campaigns that hit the skids or came up short, including Tim Pawlenty for president, Dave Sitton for CD8, Ben Quayle for CD6 and Paul Babeu for CD4.
Pascua Yaqui Tribe
Who they are: A Native American tribe southwest of Tucson that owns Casino Del Sol and Casino of the Sun.
Party lines: Bipartisan.
How much they've spent so far: $309,000.
Who they're backing: Carmona and Grijalva.
Favorite causes: Political party groups. They gave $164,000 to national Democratic Party groups and $92,400 to national GOP groups.
Surprises: On one day the tribe cut checks for the same amount to the Republican and Democratic national senatorial committees.
David and Leesa Lane
Who they are: He's a Pepsi-Cola executive who also manages Lane Arizona Properties. She has partnered with him in a recent business venture, Lane/Lofton CM LLC.
Party lines: Moderate Republicans.
How much they've spent so far: $208,000.
Who they're backing: Romney, Flake and Paton.
Favorite causes: They've spent $110,000 backing Romney.
Surprises: After supporting Dave Sitton, who lost in the CD8 special primary election, the couple didn't send money to any other candidates in the CD8 general election race or in the subsequent CD2 race.
A two-day report
• Today: The Big 5 political spenders in Southern Arizona.
• Saturday: Rounding out the Top 10, and more.
About the data
The information was gathered through an Arizona Daily Star analysis of federal, state and local campaign finance records.
The figures include money contributed in 2011-2012 to federal, state and local candidates, political party organizations, PACs and super PACs. These totals do not include contributions made to certain nonprofit groups, which are not required to reveal donors to the Federal Election Commission.
On StarNet
Learn more about the candidates, propositions and latest news on local elections at azstarnet.com/elections
Who is Paavo Ensio?
Paavo Ensio is a native of Finland who lived for many years in Canada before recently becoming a U.S. citizen, according to a video of him speaking to the Catalina Foothills Church in Tucson.
He is the director of several companies that provide the oil and gas industry with iron ore, heavy aggregates and abrasives, as well as ballast for ships and deepwater platforms, Arizona Corporation Commission records show.
He and his wife have contributed to political causes in recent years, including giving at least $100,000 in the 2010 election cycle, but the couple had never contributed the $500,000-plus magnitude they hit this year.
Most of their money this cycle went to one Christian conservative super PAC, the Faith Family Freedom Fund.
Addressing the church in September, Ensio choked up several times as he spoke about what's at stake in this election.
"I would say it's a battle between good and evil. It's a battle between right and wrong," Ensio said. "One side is the people who trust in God and believe that God is good. On the other side we have people who trust in man and think man is good. I don't know how they can do that. … They are in denial - look at what's going on around the world. How can you say that man is good?"
He said the "other side" is for equality, which sounds good, but really is a code word for redistribution. He lamented the fact that abortions occur. On gay rights, he said the homosexual agenda is not only out there, but in your face.
"They want to teach your young kids that the homosexual lifestyle is an alternative lifestyle that is not only acceptable but good," Ensio said. "They are right there in our schools doing that."
Contact reporter Carli Brosseau at cbrosseau@azstarnet.com or 573-4197.
