A study by the non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics found that Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) and Sen. Barrack Obama (D-IL) have both received the highest amount of military personnel campaign contributions.

This article in USA Today (yes, that appears to be my paper of choice today) is interesting NOT for its title, “Obama, Paul net most military workers’ donations”, but for the shifting opinions of the military that are buried in the article’s guts:

Obama: 44 contributions worth $27,000
Paul: 23 contributions worth $19,300
Both of these Presidential contenders openly and loudly oppose the Iraq war.

John McCain: 23 donors worth $18,500
One of the most vocal supporters of the Iraq war, came in third.

And here are some even cooler stats!

In 2004, military personnel contributed $1.2 million to presidential and congressional candidates, the center said. This year, those donations are about $200,000.

That’s approximately 17% of the previous presidential election donations our service members had contributed during the last election! The politics of our military are leaking out in the form of crisp clean Washington dollars. We’re moving from a generally conservative and traditional fighting force to one that is finding appeal with liberal candidates who are willing to bring them home.

Sen. Barack Obama:

…asking Illinois Sen. Barack Obama whether he understood that gay people could see civil unions without marriage as “separate but equal.” Obama replied that when his white mother and black father married in the early 1960s, interracial marriages were illegal in some states. “Obviously this is something that I understand intimately,” he said. “It’s not for me to suggest that you shouldn’t be troubled by these issues.” But as president, he said, his responsibility would be to make sure gay couples have legal rights.

John Edwards:

Former North Carolina senator John Edwards said he was wrong to have said in an earlier debate that he opposes same-sex marriage because of his religion, but he did not answer when asked what is at the core of his opposition.

Sen. Hillary Clinton:

New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton got the same question and replied, “I prefer to think of it as being very positive about civil unions.”

Gov. Bill Richardson:

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, asked whether being gay is a choice or people are born that way, said it’s a choice. After the forum, he reversed himself. “I do not believe sexual orientation or gender identity happens by choice,” he said in a statement.

The complete article by USA Today is located here. Other candidates of note:

Other candidates on the [HRC] program were Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich and former Alaska senator Mike Gravel, the only two Democrats who support same-sex marriage. Sens. Joseph Biden of Delaware and Chris Dodd of Connecticut had scheduling conflicts.

All eight Democrats have said it’s time to let gay people serve openly in the military — even Clinton, whose husband started the current “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy under which gay people must hide their sexual orientation.

Several GOP candidates were invited to appear at an HRC forum, but none accepted.

Should we even bothering asking the GOP what their opinion is in this matter?