Burkle, who earned his $1.58 billion net worth largely through grocery chain investments, is a co-owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Kasich is from McKees Rocks, a small town near Pittsburgh. Forbes ranked Burkle the 714th richest person on the planet in 2015.
The magazine reports that in all, Burkle has given more than $450,000 in political contributions to federal candidates in the past, including giving money to Democratic contender Hillary Clinton for her successful 2000 Senate run and in her unsuccessful 2008 presidential bid.
The bulk of his money has gone to Democrats, but Burkle has also given to Republicans including Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, and he has also given money to onetime GOP presidential aspirant Tim Pawlenty, a former Minnesota governor.
According to a search of the Federal Elections Commission website, he gave $125,000 to the Senate Majority PAC, a political action committee supporting Democrats running for Senate. He gave $476,600 to candidates and committees supporting candidates, and gave $52,000 to joint fundraising committees that were raising money for more than one candidate at the same time. He gave $5,000 to the Ohio Democratic Party in 1998.
Burkle is the head of the private equity firm Yucaipa Companies, which sells and buys supermarket chains.
Burkle and former President Bill Clinton were reportedly close in the years after Clinton’s presidency, with Clinton a frequent guest on Burkle’s private 757 aircraft. Clinton was such a frequent flier on the aircraft that it was nicknamed “Ron Air,” by some.
But their close friendship led to criticism from conservative outlets that Clinton was living a playboy lifestyle, and when Hillary Clinton was nominated Secretary of State in 2008, Clinton severed his ties with Burkle, according to a 2010 profile of Burkle by Business Week.
“If someone wanted to embarrass (Clinton), I got thrown in it, too,” Burkle told Business Week. “I got all that for free … Before, every trip with (Clinton) seemed like a once in a lifetime opportunity. Now I have so many things to do.”
Though it’s unclear what the impact of Burkle’s support will be, it could have a potentially huge impact on Kasich’s campaign. Kasich, who is currently about fifth in an average of polls in New Hampshire, needs a surge of excitement to help him break away from a crowded GOP presidential field.
While Burkle is limited in how much he can give to a candidate’s specific election committee, he can give an unlimited amount to New Day for America, a super PAC set up to support Kasich’s presidential bid. Another wealthy donor, longtime Kasich loyalist Mark Kvamme, gave $500,000 to the pro-Kasich New Day Independent Media Committee earlier this year — an amount that enabled the group to buy TV ads in New Hampshire to boost his name identification.
About the Author