Donor profile: Bob Perry

Introduction

Ranking: 3

Total contributions to super PACs: $23.5 million*

• $10 million to Restore Our Future (pro-Mitt Romney)
• $8.5 million to American Crossroads (pro-Republican)
• $1 million to the Congressional Leadership Fund (pro-Republican)
• $1 million to Independence Virginia PAC (pro-George Allen)
• $1 million to Club for Growth Action (pro-conservative)
• $1 million to Freedom Fund North America (pro-Denny Rehberg; pro-Rick Berg)
• $600,000 to Texas Conservatives Fund (pro-David Dewhurst)
• $250,000 to Freedom PAC (pro-Connie Mack; pro-Allen West)
• $100,000 to Make Us Great Again (pro-Rick Perry)
• $15,000 to Maverick PAC USA (pro-Republican)

Notable federal hard money and 527 contributions:

• $11.3 million to the Republican Governors Association
• $160,000 to Citizens Club for Growth (2004-2005)
• $4.4 million to Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (2004)
• $1 million to Progress for America Voter Fund (2004)

Notable state-level contributions (see here):

• $1.9 million to 177 Republican candidates in Texas (2012)
• $1.5 million to Texas Republican Gov. Rick Perry (2010)
• $200,000 to Pennsylvania Republican Gov. Tom Corbett (2010)

Corporate name: Perry Homes

Total spent on federal lobbying (2007-2012): $0

Lobbying issues: N/A

Family: Wife Doylene and four children

Biography:

The notoriously publicity-shy Bob Perry was born in rural Bosque County, Texas, near Waco, in 1932.

He died on April 13, 2013.

Perry’s father worked for Baylor University in Waco — notably expelling Tom DeLay, later the Republican U.S. House Majority Leader, because of a series of pranks. Perry married his wife, Doylene, in 1961. They have four children. He founded Perry Homes in 1968.

The Texas homebuilder was an advocate of “tort reform,” a business-led campaign to limit damages awarded in lawsuits. The Dallas Morning News reported in 2003 that his company had been sued about 20 times in Harris County, which includes Houston, since 1985. Perry is a prolific campaign donor at both the state and national levels, the Center for Public Integrity has reported, giving $38 million to national candidates and groups since the beginning of 2000, according to The Texas Tribune’s estimate.

Perry granted the Houston Chronicle a rare interview in late 2002, telling the paper, “It is my view that government is not owned by anyone, least of all wealthy contributors. The direction of government taken by either Republicans or Democrats invariably reflects public opinion, which always includes the ‘average voters.’”

Perry spokesman Anthony Holm has described him to Minnesota Public Radio in 2006 as “a lover of humanity and a patriot [who] believes quite passionately that the best thing to do to help the average American is for them to have a job.”

Last updated: April 14, 2013

*2011-2012 election cycle. Source: Center for Responsive Politics and Center for Public Integrity analysis of Federal Election Commission records. Totals include contributions from individuals, family members and corporations that are controlled by the individual super donor.