Watts Supported McCain

McCarville

FEC Records: Watts Donated To McCain Campaign

Despite controversial comments taken by some to be an endorsement of
Democrat Barack Obama in last year’s presidential race and a harsh criticism
of the Republican Party, former Republican Congressman J. C. Watts donated to the campaign of John McCain for president.
Federal Election Commission records show that Watts, a Washington lobbyist,
donated $500 to the McCain-Palin Victory 2008 committee on October 13th,
2008. Earlier, on January 8, Watts donated $1,000 to the John McCain 2008
Inc. committee, the records show.
Comments attributed to Watts by The Associated Press created the impression
he was endorsing Obama last year. Watts issued a statement following the
story by The AP in which he explained he was expressing his disappointment
in what he said was the failure to reach out to African-Americans.
Watts said, “It has come to my attention that an Associated Press article on
black conservatives indicates many are considering voting for Barack Obama
for president in November. The writer refers to me and states, ‘(Watts) said
he’s thinking of voting for Obama.’ That is the writer’s interpretation of
my statement.
“If recent polls are accurate, a large percentage of Evangelicals and
minority conservatives are leaning to or have committed to Senator Obama. I
am not one of them.
“Like many Republicans across the nation, I consider myself a ‘free agent’
this year, which is what I told the AP. Presidential candidates are going to
have to work to earn my vote, and not assume it.
“I’m urging my friends and associates to follow their hearts in November.
I’m hopeful, as the course of the campaign plays out, that Senator McCain
will work as hard to merit our votes as he is for other voters, that he
would give them reason to vote for him in November.
“The article further lists some of my concerns with the Republican Party
over its lack of outreach to the black and Evangelical communities. Those
concerns are true, and anyone who has spoken to me or read my writings in
recent months and years should not be surprised by that position.
“But I regret to conclude that the GOP leadership — the party I embraced
and for whom I have worked diligently across the nation — has come to place
evangelicals and Republicans who are concerned about the black community, in
the same boat. It seems the party leadership is taking this loyal group of
voters for granted and no longer feels the need to work for our votes.”
The FEC records list $21,250 in donations to federal candidates by Watts in
the 2007-2008 election cycle.