The race for the affiliate presidency 2008.

We all know who we back (or don’t) for the USA presidency 2008, but here’s a look at who’s backing who in the affiliate world.

Let’s start with the advertising networks, and firstly ShoppingAds (formerly known as AuctionAds).

ShoppingAds is a part of online solutions company MediaWhiz Holding Inc.. Which in turn is funded by equity management firm Lake Capital. The two founders of Lake Capital are Terry Graunke and Paul Yovovich. Terry Graunke was the founder of Eagle River Interactive which was later sold to the Omnicom Group and turned into Agency.com. Terry is a firm Republican supporter, in fact his whole family is, Terry (or Terrence) donated more than $25,000 dollars to the Republicans in 2004, and for 2008 Terry’s family and relatives have donated more than $10,000 to Mitt Romneys’ campaign. Paul Yovovich seems to be going the same way with him also donating to Romneys’ campaign.

In the Google world, they try to have a ‘neutrality’ about themselves, with their NetPAC committee, supporting anyone who promotes an open and free Internet for their users. But it’s quite clear how Google’s employees feel about things. In 2004 Google staff donated a whopping $207,650 to Democrat candidates in the 2004 elections (although this is way behind the $1.86 million donated by Microsoft employees). The total donated to Democrats from internet business owners and employees during the 2004 campaign was over $13 million dollars.

Amazon hold a similar stance to Google with their Separate Segregated Fund which tries to be as neutral as possible.
Let’s move on to other parts of the affiliate world.

James Zarley, president and CEO of ValueClick Inc., the company behind Commission Junction, seems to be another Republican supporter, donating to Republican causes in the past, but as yet has not made a donation to any front runner in 2008’s race.

Affiliate marketer, co-founder of Affiliate Summit and AffiliateTip blogger, Shawn Collins seems to be a Republican man too, donating a small amount to Rudy Giuliani’s presidential committee earlier in 2007. Another Republican man is AffiliateCrew’s President Peter Harrison who made a nice sized donation to Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign also.

So it seems the men behind affiliates are rooting for Romney in 2008, whilst the people below them maybe don’t share the same the same views as the men at the top.

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