Wisconsinites aid presidential campaigns

By ELLYN FERGUSON • Post-Crescent Washington bureau • August 20, 2008 WASHINGTON — Five Wisconsinites are among the hundreds of top fundraisers presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama will rely on to fuel their fall campaigns. Democrats Dan Kohl, Mary Lang Sollinger and Alicia Urban, all from the Milwaukee area, have raised more than $350,000 combined for Obama. Republicans Jon Hammes of Mequon and San W. Orr Jr. of Wausau have raised more than $600,000 combined for McCain. The five are "bundlers" who raise funds for a candidate by collecting campaign donations from other donors. Under pressure from watchdog groups, the two campaigns have provided varying amounts of information about the bundlers giving them money. There's no legal requirement to name these big contributors. But Obama, of Illinois, and McCain, of... [read full story]