THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, September 25, 1996 TAG: 9609250555
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 73 lines
In North Carolina's 3rd District, the largest tobacco producing district in the United States, they call the crop ``The Golden Leaf.''
For Congressman Walter B. Jones Jr., his support of the tobacco industry means gold in his campaign coffers.
The latest finance report from the Federal Election Commission reveals that with the election six weeks away, the Republican incumbent is a landslide winner over Democrat George Parrott when it comes raising money.
Jones has received nearly $355,000 in campaign contributions, $194,628 from political action committees and $160,288 from individuals.
Parrott, an Atlantic Beach businessman, has raised $11,200, with only $2,500 in PAC money. Parrott received that contribution from the National Committee for an Effective Congress.
Tobacco giant RJR Nabisco heads the list of Jones PAC contributors, donating $9,000 to the first-term incumbent. Tobacco titans Philip Morris and Brown & Williamson contributed $5,500 and $2,000 respectively. Jones also received $1,000 from the Tobacco Institute PAC.
The Farmville resident also received large contributions from pharmaceutical giant Glaxo Wellcome utilities such as AT&T, BellSouth Communications, and defense contractors Lockheed, Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics.
Jones, an opponent of the assault weapons ban, received $3,920 from the National Rifle Association.
The first-term congressman has also received money from business and agricultural interests, including Wachovia Bank, NationsBank and Jefferson Pilot, as well as the National Cattleman's Beef Association PAC.
Last week, during a speech in Nags Head, Parrott claimed that Jones had received 86 percent of his funding from PACs. However, based on the FEC report, Jones has received 54.8 percent of his campaign money from political action committees.
Vote-Smart, a nonpartisan Internet site, also listed Jones' ratings by various interest groups. Jones scored well with conservative groups, while receiving low marks from labor, pro-choice and environmental groups.
The Christian Coalition gave Jones a 100. High marks also came from the American Conservative Union, the National Right to Life Committee and the Business-Industry Political Action Committee.
Jones received zeros from The American Civil Liberties Union, the National Education Association and the AIDS Action Council.
Rep. Robert Dornan, R-Calif., is scheduled to appear on Jones' behalf Saturday in Jacksonville.
Parrott is scheduled to meet with Democratic office-seekers in New Bern on Saturday morning, then appear in Newport that evening to speak at a Democratic town meeting. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic
CONTRIBUTIONS
Walter B. Jones Jr.'s Top 10 Political Action Committee
contributors. Source: The Federal Election Commission June Quarterly
Report
1. RJR Political Action Committee, RJR Nabisco Inc. $9,000
2. Glaxo Wellcome PAC $7,200
3. AT&T PAC $7,000
4. Employees Federal PAC, Carolina Power and Light $6,500
5. Philip Morris Corp. PAC $5,500
6. Monday Morning PAC $5,000.
7. National Republican Congressional Committee $4,994
8. BellSouth Telecommunications Inc., Employees' Federal PAC $4,250
9. Realtors PAC $4,000
9. North Carolina Republican Executive Committee $4,000
10. National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund $3,920
George Parrott's PAC contributors based on the Federal Election
Commission's June report.
1. National Committee for an Effective Congress $2,500 by CNB