Governor Brewer's Personal Super PAC Raises Nearly Quarter-Million Dollars In 2013; Healthcare, Construction Big Contributors (FOLLOWING MONEY IN ARIZONA'S POLITICS)

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer refilled the treasury of her personal Super PAC in the first half of 2013, partly as a result of her decision to push for expansion of AHCCCS ("Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, aka Medicaid).  Most of the $230,000+ raised this period was in $5-10,000 chunks.  A company looking to privatize Arizona's highway rest areas also helped her raise money.

Jan PAC began the year with $214,533.95 cash on hand, and she increased that to $328,786.76 as of June 30.  Of the amount raised, almost exactly half ($116,082.05) was spent on fundraising expenses - including continuing purchases of her own book from Amazon (approximately $1,370).

As opposed to the previous year's mix of big donor solicitations and small donor direct mail efforts, Jan PAC focused on a few big fundraising events around the country, with large gifts.  The Governor has the freedom to decide how to spend the money on independent expenditures; in 2012, she focused on mailers supporting Arizona Republican Congressional candidates.

Healthcare-related big donations (>$1,000) include:
--Blue Cross/Blue Shield of AZ, $5,000 on 1/17
--Vanguard Health, $10,000 on 2/19
--I-ASIS Healthcare PAC, $5,000 on 2/20
--Lifepoint Hospital PAC, $5,000 on 2/21
--Sanofi-Aventis PAC, $1,000 on 1/9

Energy companies have also been major benefactors:
--APS, $3,631.09 on 1/9 (including in-kind for event)
--Western Refining, $5,000 on 1/16
--Pilot Oil, $10,000 on 2/11 and 4/6
--HollyFrontier Corp., $5,000 on 4/24
--Kinder Morgan, 10,000 on 4/30
--Exelon, $1,250 on 4/20
--Southwest Gas, $1,000 on 1/15

Construction and industrial companies, several of whom do business with Arizona or are seeking to, include:
--Chanen Construction, $5,000 on 1/29
--Infrastructure Corporation of America, $16,435.41 on 2/19-23 (including event)
--M&M Industries, $5,000 on 2/20
--Tratt Properties, $2,500 on 4/22
--CEMEX PAC, $5,000 on 4/16

Infrastructure Corporation of America's major donation plus hosting an event is worthy of note.  ICA recently re-submitted an unsolicited proposal to the Arizona Department of Transportation to privatize rest areas along Arizona highways.  The proposal - submitted within weeks of the contributions - is currently under consideration as a possible public-private partnership (P3).

Copart, a national auto auction company with a location(s) in Arizona, founded by Willis Johnson, continues to be a large funder of JanPAC, donating $20,000 so far this year.  Political consultants also are big contributors.

(Note: JAN PAC has consistently declined to answer Arizona's Politics' requests for responses in the past; we will make an attempt today, too, and will supplement this article with any relevant information.)

We welcome your comments about this post. Or, if you have something unrelated on your mind, please e-mail to info-at-arizonaspolitics-dot-com or call 602-799-7025. Thanks.