Tobacco Firms Among Lead Spenders in Campaign

Tobacco and oil companies are among the corporations that have spent more than $157 million on political campaigns for the Nov. 7 statewide election, according to the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, the MediaNews/Contra Costa Times reports. Four companies -- Philip Morris USA, R.J Reynolds Tobacco and two oil companies -- have contributed about $108 million of that amount.

Tobacco companies are funding the opposition campaign to Proposition 86, which would increase the state tobacco tax to fund health care programs and services.

Unions also are considered significant contributors to political campaigns, but in the current election corporations have outspent unions by a 12-to-1 margin, the Times reports.

For the November election, the California Nurses Association has spent about $3.7 million. CNA is supporting Proposition 89, which would create a publicly financed election system in California (Harmon, MediaNews/Contra Costa Times, 10/20).