Lt. Governor Brian Dubie, the putative Republican nominee for governor, took in an impressive haul of birthday booty from a political fundraiser Tuesday night.

“I am truly humbled,” said Dubie in a statement. His campaign event, at the Doubletree Hotel in South Burlington, raised $115,000.

Dubie said he set an initial goal of raising $30,000 and selling 150 tickets at $51. Instead, the campaign raised more than $115,000 in one night and drew 430 ticket buyers.

OK, 430 multiplied by $51 does not equal $115,000 (it’s $21,981).

And, no Dubie isn’t using Democratic fuzzy math to count his winnings. He’ll leave that to lawmakers trying to close the $150 million-plus deficit.

You see, not all birthday tickets were created equal. Dubie’s campaign asked some donors to sponsor the birthday party at higher levels than others — each level based on some pop culture or political event in 1959.

For example, folks willing to shell out the maximum of $2000 were listed as an “Eisenhower” sponsor since Republican Dwight David Eisenhower, also known as “Ike,” was president in 1959. Other major donor levels included “Ben Hur” at $1000, “Mack the Knife” at $500, and “Gunsmoke” at $250.

Campaign Manager Corry Bliss provided Seven Days with a complete list of donors at each level, which are posted below.

No major surprises. Dubie is showing strong support from some top-name Republican donors, including national committeeman George Schiavone, Rodolphe “Skip” Vallee, who flirted with the idea of challenging Dubie in a primary, and Barre Mayor Thomas Lauzon, as well as Burlington-area businessmen Fred Hackett (Hackett, Valine & Macdonald insurance), Ray and Trey Pecor (Lake Champlain Transportation), Jeff Davis (real estate developer), William Hauke (real estate developer), and Antonio and Ernest Pomerleau (real estate).

Businesses in the top level included Burlington Drug Company (a pharmaceutical wholesaler based in Milton), DEW Construction, Dowlings, Inc. (a distributor to convenience stores and grocers), The Red Can Family (a garbage hauler) and Bond Auto Parts.

Deb Ricker not only gave $2000 personally, but two of her companies — L&D Safety Marking Company and WorkSafe Traffic Control Industries — also pitched in $2000 apiece. Maybe a birthday hat in the shape of a safety cone?

More businesses gave at the $1000 level, which means they can give again during this election cycle. Those donors included Dairy Famers of America, the DairyLea Cooperative and Moe’s Southwest Grill, as well as former House Speaker Walt Freed.

All in all, not a bad way to spend your birthday. 

Here’s the full list of donors:

Eisenhower – $2000
General Dwight Eisenhower was President in 1959

Adam Rousselle, Andrew Fitzgerald, Antonio Pomerleau, Barbara Snelling, Barry Chouinard, Bernier Mayo, Bill Jenkins, Bill Sheldon, Bill Stenger, Bob & Sandra Willey, Bond Auto Parts, Bruce Lisman, Burlington Drug Company, Dan Feeney, Dave & Sherry Underwood, Debra Ricker, Donald Wells, DEW Construction, Doran Metzger, Dowlings Inc., Edward & Christine Sawyer, Ernest Pomerleau, Fred Hackett, Fred Peet, George & Linda Schiavone, Gordon & Debbie Winters, Greg Donahue, GW Plastics, Inc., Jan Rozendaal, Jeff & Karen Davis, Jim Harrison, John Handy, Kate Purcell, Ken Dromgold, Kevin Kittell, L & D Safety Marking Corp., Leandro & Amy Vazquez, Marvin & Barbara Harvey, Mitch Fleischer, Nicom Coatings Corp., Paul Hatch, Perry Sporn, Ralph Gerlach, Ray Pecor, Richard Spanier, Robert Beauregard, Scott & Kate Baldwin, Scott Milne, Skip & Denise Vallee, The Red Can Family, Thomas & Dina Dowhan, Thomas & Karen Lauzon, Trey Pecor, Vijay Desai, Wayne Lamberton, William Hauke, WorkSafe Traffic Control Industry.

Ben Hur – $1000
Ben Hur, released in 1959, was the first film to win 11 Oscars

Deslauriers & Company, Ayer Auto, Clarence Brown, Inc., Cota & Cota Inc., Craig Metz, Dairy Famers of America, DairyLea Cooperative, David Hill, Dawn Terrill, Don Weston, Frederick Riehl, Glenn Cotton. Greg Liebert, Jack & Lynn Russell, Jacob Verburg, John Kane, John R. Canney III, Kevin Burke, Lee Bissonette, Lee Merrill, Ludwig Schumacher, Mark Harvie, Michael Mayo, Northern Vermont Oral & Facial Surgery, Patrick & Stacy Guinee, Richard & Anne Adler, Robert Young, Ron & Sheila Lamell, Scott Riehl, Shawn Bushey, SueAyn Wood, Moe’s Southwest Grill, Terry Wilson, Walter Freed.

Mack the Knife – $500
Bobby Darin’s “Mack the Knife” was Record of the Year

David Ayer, Bourdeau Brothers, Brady Toensing, Bridget H. Rivet, Christopher & Lyne Weinberg, David Gladstone, Dick & Lynn Dickinson, Felix & Gerry Callan, Friends of Washington County Republicans, George Lamphere, Jack McMullen, James Parker, Joey & Marcia Purvis, John “Jack” Lindley, Kevin Dorn & Kathy Finnie, Kevin Dwyer, Kevin Kamp, Marjorie & Robert Gepfert, Maurice Harvey, Max Gannon, Michael Donnelly, Paul Frascoia, Peter Cross, Phil & Helen Murdock, Rick & Sally Cochran, Robert Sims, SecurShred, Stephen Forbes, Steve Bourgeois, Todd & Margaret McGovern, William Sawyer.

Gunsmoke – $250
“Gunsmoke” was the Most Popular Television Show (it’s also Dubie’s favorite show)

Alan Day, Alan Pike, Bill Baldwin, Christian & Stephanie Thwaites, David Boardman, Delicate Decadence, Harvey L. Gray, Henry & Natalie Harder, Jay Overton, Kurrle Fuels, Larry Dupont, Leon Graves, Mary Lou & Gordon Booth, Robert & Kristine Bickford, Robert Peisch, Robert Rich, Tom Anderson, Walter Bruska, Walter Milliken, Wes Pastor, William Chesbrough.

This article appears in Mar 10-16, 2010.

Shay Totten wrote "Fair Game," a weekly political column, from April 2008-December 2011.

20 replies on “Dubie’s Birthday Bash Rakes in Big Bucks”

  1. ” . . . it’s just evidence that liberals are corrupt.”Liberals *are* every bit as corrupt as Republicans. And hypocritical, to boot.Wake up from your self-delusion.

  2. This muckracking journalism by Shay is disgusting. 7days should be ashamed. I’m not even a GOP, I’m a Dem, but the worst part of this report is that it’s painfully obvious that Dubie will win in November. The GOP is well organized, well funded, and unified in their support of one candidate. Meanwhile, over in Dem-land, there are 5 babbling idiots running all over the state trying to raise money from the same people. It’s disappointing.

  3. See, if Shay does a story about a Republican raising money, it’s liberal media bias. If he does a story about a Democrat or Prog raising money, it’s just evidence that liberals are corrupt. It’s just the way it is. Don’t question it.

  4. Looking forward to a contributor list this comprehensive for all candidates. The pieces from July were very high-level, nothing like this.

  5. Jimmy & Doug: Yes, I will be doing this for Democratic contributors as well. Throughout the 2010 campaign, as I did in the 2008 cycle, I plan to examine who’s giving to whom and what interests they may represent. I’ve already done some of this in the column, and on the blog, for the Democratic candidates as a result of their July filing last year, and the folks hosting their DC fundraisers.

  6. “Hey Jimmy, it’s all public record.”As are Dem contributors – so I assume Shay will be listing those as well. Failure to do so is essentially a formal acknowledgement of political bias. From your additional info requests, it seems you feel that has already taken place. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but it’s very different from impartial journalism.

  7. Hey Jimmy, it’s all public record. That’s why they agreed to provide the names.Shay – How about telling us how many of these folks do business with the state or its instrumentalities (or expect to); how many have (or have had) projects / permits approved by those appointed by the governor; how many are working for the governor or are appointees on various boards and commissions; how many would benefit directly from reinstating the 40% capital gains exclusion; and so on?

  9. Shay, This is excellent – and very useful! Thanks so much. I love knowing which businesses really want to see the Dubinator in charge!

  10. Shay, This is excellent – and very useful! Thanks so much. I love knowing which businesses really want to see the Dubinator in charge!

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