Republicans often make a strong military the center of their political campaigns, and portray themselves as more supportive of defense spending than their Democratic opponents, but in the 2016 race for president the defense industry loves Hillary Clinton far above anyone else.
According to the Center for Public Integrity Clinton has collected more money from employees tied to the 50 largest contractors with the Department of Defense than any other candidate, at least $454,994 in campaign funds over a 14-month period.
Also a surprise to many, Clinton’s Democratic opponent Bernie Sanders, who has called for deep cuts to the defense budget, has accepted at least $310,055 in defense-related donations — more than any Republican presidential candidate — since the start of the 2016 campaign cycle.
The Clinton and Sanders campaigns together received at least $765,049 from employees of major defense contractors — more than twice the $357,775 sum received by the Republican Party’s three remaining presidential candidates.
The support of Clinton may seem unusual, but thirty years of government service, first as first lady, then a U.S. senator from New York serving on the Armed Services Committee, and finally as Secretary of State, has made her the most familiar candidate for the defense industry.
The Democratic Party’s highest elected official, President Barack Obama, has also called for a $2.4 billion increase in defense spending for fiscal year 2017.