Industry Gives Big Money To GOP Senators Backing Device Reforms, But Buys Into Clinton Over Trump, 14-1

25 Oct 2016

• By Sue Darcey

In the 2016 election race, the most generous device and diagnostic industry contributors donated heavily to Senate Republicans giving legislative attention to FDA regulatory reforms – Richard Burr, N.C., Kelly Ayotte, N.H., Pat Toomey, Pa. – running close races against Democrat challengers. But while industry primarily backs GOP senators, they also favor Hillary Clinton (D) over Donald Trump (R) with their donations, 14-1.

A Medtech Insight analysis of industry spending on candidates in US Senate races this fall confirms that the top campaign contributors are giving most of their dollars to senators who are device and diagnostic reform champions – primarily Republicans – as well as to companies’ home-state favorites facing tough challengers during the upcoming November election.

The industry tends to favor Republicans in its 2016 Senate campaign spending, while also spending on key Democrats. But it...