Mega Donors Beef Up Santorum Super PAC

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- The super PAC supporting Rick Santorum more than doubled its total donations in February.

Red, White and Blue Fund reported $2.9 million raised in February to bring its total receipts to $5.8 million, according to the Federal Election Commission. But one of the fund's best fundraising months still greatly lagged front-runner Mitt Romney's supporting super PAC.

Restore Our Future, which backs Romney, raised $6.4 million in February to bump its election cycle total to $43.2 million.

Endorse Liberty, the main super PAC behind Ron Paul, reported just $282,466 in the same month as the Texas congressman's campaign outraised the super PAC with $3.3 million from supporters.

More than one-third of Red, White and Blue Fund's February donations came from one person, Annette Simmons, wife of mega donor Harold Simmons; she gave $1 million. Annette Simmons is listed as an executive at Contran Corp., which her husband owns. Harold Simmons also is chairman of the holding company Valhi (VHI).

Top Red, White and Blue Fund individual donors included William Dore, president of Dore Energy, who gave $500,000 to add himself to a short list of million-dollar super PAC donors as Dore raised his total donations to $1.5 million.

Foster Friess , the Wyoming billionaire who delivered a controversial contraceptive joke last month, donated another $600,000 to bring his total to $1.3 million. Friess had been the biggest donor to Santorum's super PAC until Dore surpassed him in the latest reports.

Jack Caveney, a retired man from Florida, gave $200,000 in February; James Gagan, listed as a self-employed entrepreneur, gave $100,000; and Norman Miller, chairman of Interstate Batteries, donated $100,000 to round out the list of six-figure and higher donors.

-- Written by Joe Deaux in New York.

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