Device Industry Campaign Contributions Favor Republicans This Election

Article preview from "The Gray Sheet" - November 5, 2012

Direct contributions from individuals or company political action committees to candidates from the pure-play device industry totaled $4.7 million to Republicans and $2.9 million to Democrats, as of Oct. 31. This clear edge toward Republicans is a shift from prior election cycles.

 Device Industry Campaign Contributions Favor Republicans This Election

Article preview from "The Gray Sheet" - November 5, 2012

Device companies and their top executives were active in providing campaign contributions to presidential and congressional candidates in the 2011-2012 election cycle, with a clear edge in spending by the industry toward Republicans.

High interest among companies in repealing the medical device excise tax, slated to take effect Jan. 1, appears to be one important driving force for contributions this cycle.

Direct contributions from individuals or company political action committees (PACs) to candidates from pure-play device industry totaled $4.7 million to Republicans and $2.9 million to Democrats, according to data on the Center for Responsive Politics’ OpenSecrets.org website, as checked on Oct. 31.

This does not include spending from some of the large companies that sell both devices and drugs, which are grouped in OpenSecrets.org as “pharmaceutical” rather than “medical supply” companies. Two of the largest in this category, Abbott Laboratories Inc. and Johnson & Johnson, each have contributed more than a million dollars during the election cycle, but split their contributions differential by party – Abbott giving more to Republicans and J&J giving more to Democrats.

The party-specific spending figures also don’t include so-called “soft money” contributions to outside spending groups, such as so-called SuperPACs.

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