Despite the fact that this year is not a presidential or congressional election year, Syracuse University faculty and staff are continuing to give to political campaigns.

As of Sunday, people who list SU as their primary employer have donated a total of $25,685 in 2015 to political campaigns and organizations during the non-congressional or presidential election year, according to OpenSecrets.org.

Compared to 2013, the last non-congressional or presidential election year, SU employees have given $5,135 more this year. In 2013, SU employees donated $20,550 to political campaigns and organizations, according to OpenSecrets.org.

At this time last year, that number totaled $27,220, according to data from Syracuse.com/The Post-Standard and OpenSecrets.org. 2014 was a congressional election year.

The SU employee who has donated the most to political campaigns and organizations this year is Sean O’Keefe, a university professor and former NASA administrator. He said that every candidate he donates to, he knows personally.

O’Keefe’s donations this year include  $2,700 to Sen. John McCain (R-AZ); $2,700 to former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush; $5,000 to Right to Rise PAC, the leading independent super PAC supporting Jeb Bush’s campaign for president, according to the Right to Rise Super PAC website; $5,000 to Right to Rise USA, the same Right to Rise Super PAC; $1,000 to Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) and $1,000 to Rep. Randy Forbes (R-VA).

“I want to help (candidates) who aren’t just (running) because they can — they’re running because they think it’s important,” O’Keefe said. “It worries me that the only people that are capable of leading us are the ones who can’t afford it.”

He said donating to political campaigns is an opportunity the public has to encourage and promote leaders who are stepping up and can do the task independently of whether or not they can afford to run.

“Campaign finances are a necessary evil. The laws make it so difficult to raise the amount it takes to run a campaign,” O’Keefe said.

For Bruce Hudson, a chemistry professor, the campaigns he chooses to donate to are either local or involve candidates that have scientific or technical expertise, he said in an email.

“At any one time there are only one or two Representatives in the House with sufficient expertise to understand what their staff is telling them,” Hudson said. “My objective was and is to get enough Democrats elected to change the balance in the House.  So that we do not have what we have now.”

He added that all of his campaign donations have gone to Democrats in congressional districts where they have (or had) an uphill chance of winning. This year he donated $300 to ActBlue, a PAC that, according to its website, allows the public to donate to progressive and democratic candidates of their choice, and to Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL).

Kristi Andersen, a professor of political science in Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, said she has donated to the campaigns of three or four women through the fundraising site Emily’s List, which puts donors’ money toward the campaigns of Democratic, pro-choice women, according to its website.

Andersen said she plans to give more directly to candidates for the 2016 presidential election next year.  She is “waiting to see what happens” right now in the primaries.

“I like my money to have some impact,” Andersen said. “If I were to give to someone for the primaries and they do not win the candidacy, then it’s not a good investment on my part.”

Jerrel Burgo, coordinator of mentoring programs for the Office of Multicultural Affairs, gave $10 to the Democratic National Committee Service Corporation this year.

“I try to give a little bit when I can, because I think, generally speaking, people don’t pay attention to national politics or politics in general outside of the presidential election cycle. Which I think is unfortunate,” Burgo said.

Burgo added that to him, it is just as important to donate when the party is electing a new congressperson or a new senator as it is to give to a local campaign because those people are making laws that affect the people in the local county or city.

When he is feeling generous, or particularly patriotic, Burgo said that is when he will donate to a particular cause. Especially, he said, when there is a big topic that comes up, like a major Supreme Court case that has been decided on.

“I try to give those little amounts because you know what they say ‘every penny counts,’ so that’s what I do towards the causes I feel that I agree with or support,” Burgo said. “… Just to be involved in the political process, in someway shape or form, is making a difference.”

Published on November 2, 2015 at 11:16 pm

Contact Katelyn: kmfaubel@syr.edu