Lorillard Burns Through Thousands for McConnell’s JFC

midterms-compressorCount Lorillard executives among those who want to see Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) prevail in his midterm race.

In August and September, Lorillard — through its PAC and top executives — made more than $45,000 in donations to McConnell’s joint fundraising committee, McConnell Victory Kentucky. That was just after Lorillard announced it would be acquired by Reynolds American for about $25 billion. The gargantuan deal, which would give control of 90 percent of U.S. cigarette sales to two companies, Altria Group and a beefed-up Reynolds, is currently under review by the Federal Trade Commission.

Lorillard had never before made any donations to the JFC, which hauls money in for both McConnell’s campaign account and for the Republican Party of Kentucky. It had given cash directly to McConnell’s campaign in past cycles, but in smaller amounts: Since his 2008 re-election, the tobacco company has provided him $7,500.

Tobacco’s warm feelings toward McConnell are decades in the making. The five-term incumbent once championed a historic tobacco buyout measure that ended a government-regulated quota system and compensated growers with $10 billion a year. No candidate in history has received more from the industry than McConnell: Over the years, his total comes to more than half-a-million dollars. He’s still a favorite of tobacco companies, though House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) have received more from them this cycle.

Lorillard and Reynolds might be competing for McConnell’s attention against a tough adversary. Altria Group, the U.S. cigarette market leader, is one of McConnell’s top 20 career contributors and has given close to $115,000 to his campaign. This cycle, Altria has already given more than $100,000 to his campaign and leadership PAC. In their political spending overall, Reynolds and Lorillard are dwarfed by Altria, which has spent $1.3 million this cycle — more than twice the two other companies’ outlays combined.

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About The Author

Lalita Clozel

Lalita is the Center's summer 2014 reporting intern. She is originally from France and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2013, with a degree in economics and philosophy.