Leaders of the PAC: Clinton and Romney lead their parties in industry contributions.(Regulatory/Law: Elections)(Hillary Rodham Clinton and Mitt Romney)(Statistical table)

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As the 2008 presidential race kicked into full gear in January, insurance sources have contributed $5.66 million to leading candidates, with Democrats pulling in 59.1% of the industry total, according to Federal Election Commission filings.

Altogether, 10 presidential candidates--six Democrats and four Republicans--each raised more than $100,000 from insurance industry sources through the end of the third quarter of 2007, including funds from corporate and trade association political action committees and contributions from individuals who identified themselves as employed by insurance-related firms.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., led the pack with $1,080,768 in insurance funds. In sharp contrast to her 1993 health care reform effort, which was strongly opposed by the now-defunct Health Insurance Association of America, Clinton drew nearly $250,000 in contributions from the health insurance sector, the most of any candidate in either party. Her totals included contributions from political action committees affiliated with MetLife, Independence Blue Cross and Western and Southern Life Insurance Co., as well as significant contributions from employees of Citigroup Inc., Prudential Financial, New York Life and Kaiser Permanente, among others.

That tally helped push her past second-place fundraiser Sen. Christopher J. Dodd, D-Conn., who was the favorite candidate of multiline, property/casualty and life insurers, as well as insurance agents and brokers. Dodd, chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, which holds primary jurisdiction over most insurance issues, raised $943,212 from industry sources.

Dodd, who dropped out of the race following the Jan. 3 Iowa caucuses, led the field with $118,912 from insurance PACs, including more than $5,000 each from Fidelity National Financial, Safeco Inc., Aon Corp., Aetna Inc., Axa Equitable Life Insurance Co., Chubb Corp., the Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, First American Corp., Hartford Financial Services, ING America, LandAmerica Financial, Liberty Mutual, Massachusetts Mutual, MetLife, Nationwide Financial, Northwestern Mutual, Torchmark Corp. and Travelers Cos.

Dodd's totals also included more than $75,000 in contributions from members of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, looking to counter the prevailing preference of most large contributors in favor of an optional federal charter for the insurance industry. The Big I, which also activated its Iowa grass roots forum on behalf of Dodd, is joined in its opposition to OFC by Aflac Inc., whose nearly $700,000 in contributions to congressional candidates topped all industry PACs.