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Eclectic mix of donors in race to succeed Cantor

By WTOP Staff

FREDERIC J. FROMMER
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The race to succeed House Majority Leader Eric Cantor has attracted donations from Sarah Palin and Emmy-winning TV producer Jonathan Littman, as both Republican and Democratic candidates reap the benefits of Cantor’s upset loss in last month’s GOP primary.

Dave Brat picked up $5,000 from Palin’s political action committee, along with donations from several other GOP PACs.

Brat’s Democratic opponent, Jack Trammell, received $2,600 from Littman, a producer for Jerry Bruckheimer TV, and $250 from theater producer Susan Dietz. Both live in California.

Overall, in the roughly 5 ½-week reporting period ending June 30, Brat raised $400,000, while Trammell, who started later, raised $155,000, according to Federal Election Commission records.

Brat made national front-page headlines in the June 10 Republican primary by defeating Cantor, who was seen as next in line to be speaker of the House. Brat portrayed Cantor as a Washington insider out of touch with his Richmond, Virginia-area congressional district.

The treasurer at Palin’s PAC did not return phone and email messages. Littman declined to comment on his contribution. Dietz didn’t return telephone messages seeking comment.

Brat also received donations from several other GOP politicians’ PACs, including $5,000 from Texas Republican Rep. Louie Gohmert’s. In addition, Brat picked up $5,000 from the National Association for Gun Rights PAC.

In a sign of how nationalized the race has become between the candidates — both of whom are professors at small Randolph-Macon College — Brat picked up donations from people in dozens of states, as far away as Hawaii and Alaska. Trammell raised money from more than a dozen states, including Washington state and Texas, mostly through ActBlue, a fundraising website for Democratic candidates.

Small donors made up the bulk of both candidates’ money. About 60 percent of Brat’s individual donations, and 70 percent of Trammell’s, were under $200, meaning those donors’ named didn’t have to be listed in the candidates’ campaign reports.

Darrin Gulla, an economics professor at the University of Kentucky, gave $2,500 to Brat, whom he knows from meeting at the annual Moral Foundations of Capitalism Conference at Clemson University a few years ago.

“I always enjoyed talking with Dave, particularly economics of religion which I had just begun teaching and of which he has very good insights,” Gulla said.

Gulla wasn’t able to attend the conference this year and wasn’t aware that Brat was running in the Republican primary.

“When I saw his acceptance speech the day after the election, I was so surprised,” he said. “More importantly, I was very excited about the possibility of one of us, free-marketeers, serving in Congress, hence my contribution.”

Elliott Ozment, an immigration attorney in Nashville whose firm website proclaims, “Fighting for immigrant rights,” gave $250 to Trammell. In the GOP primary campaign, Brat made immigration the central issue, accusing Cantor of embracing “amnesty” and open borders.

“My contribution to Trammel was in reaction to the terrible immigration stance of Brat, and for portraying Cantor as pro-immigrant, when Cantor was the furthest thing from it,” said Ozment. “This would not have been on my radar had he not made immigration an issue.”

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Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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