It wasn’t money well spent for Texas Rangers owner Ray Davis.
During the 2016 cycle, Davis contributed $102,700 to the failed Republican presidential campaign of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.
Davis gave $100,000 to Bush’s super PAC, Right to Rise USA, and $2,700 directly to Bush’s campaign. After Bush’s bid fell flat the super PAC returned $11,270 to Davis.
Bush’s family has ties to the Rangers organization, as former president George W. Bush was a part owner of the Arlington-based baseball team.
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Davis also gave $5,400 to Republican Congressman Joe Barton.
But Davis’ giving pales in comparison with Republican mega donor and NFL Houston Texans owner Bob McNair, who has contributed millions to Republican super PACs and candidates over the years. His three biggest donations for the 2016 cycle – $1,000,000 a piece – went to the Republican Senate and congressional leadership funds.
McNair also dumped $500,000 into seven super PACs supporting Bush, Mike Huckabee, Carly Fiorina, Marco Rubio, Scott Walker, Lindsey Graham and Ted Cruz for president. But he didn’t contribute to Donald Trump’s campaign until he gave $5,400 over the summer.
NFL Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones isn’t a big political donor, at least compared with McNair. He gave Republican Congresswoman Kay Granger $2,700 earlier this year and said he’s “proud” of Hillary Clinton being the first woman to be nominated president, although he stopped short of endorsing her.
“We were all so proud to hear and see the first woman of a major party nominated,” Jones said during an appearance on a Dallas radio show, as reported by ESPN. “The thing that I am impressed about is her grit and the fact that she's endured – and boy has she certainly had a lot of life's experiences right before all of our eyes. But you can't help but admire her for being the first woman nominee.”
NBA Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is unabashedly anti-Trump, but he hasn’t publicly given to any candidate this cycle.
.1) @realDonaldTrump $10mm to the charity of YOUR choice if you let ME interview you for 4 hrs on YOUR policies and their substance.
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) September 16, 2016
Cuban made headlines after he was invited to sit in the front row of the first presidential debate by Clinton, which drew the ire of Trump.
If dopey Mark Cuban of failed Benefactor fame wants to sit in the front row, perhaps I will put Gennifer Flowers right alongside of him!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 24, 2016
NHL Dallas Stars owner Tom Gaglardi cannot contribute to candidates for federal office since he is a Canadian citizen.
A new report by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington says 26 Major League Baseball owners contributed a combined $2.06 million to political campaigns during the 2016 cycle.
Alex Daugherty: 202-383-6049, @alextdaugherty
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