Support for LAist comes from
Become a sponsor
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Donate
Stay Connected

LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio, a member-supported public media network.

Audience-funded nonprofit news
Listen
Donate
Podcasts Take Two
Oil money increasing supporting black and Latino Democrats
solid orange rectangular banner
()
Take Two Logo
Jun 2, 2016
Listen • 7:31
Oil money increasing supporting black and Latino Democrats
Oil companies are increasingly pouring millions of dollars into legislative contests in California, supporting black and Latino Democrats.
Caption:LONG BEACH, CA - MAY 29: Oil wells are silhouetted at sunset near Signal Hill on May 29, 2003 in Long Beach, California. The Signal Hill Oil Field, now known as the Long Beach Oil Field, reportedly had the world's highest oil production per acre by the mid-twentieth century. Hundreds of companies and individuals became rich on minute leases, some locations so close that derrick legs overlapped. New housing and stores are now being built among operating oil wells. Farther north, a cancer scare has swept over Beverly Hills High School where environmental activist Erin Brockovich and her boss, lawyer Ed Masry, are alleging that toxic fumes from oil wells on the campus have created a 'cancer cluster' that is 20 times higher than the national average. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)
Caption:LONG BEACH, CA - MAY 29: Oil wells are silhouetted at sunset near Signal Hill on May 29, 2003 in Long Beach, California. The Signal Hill Oil Field, now known as the Long Beach Oil Field, reportedly had the world's highest oil production per acre by the mid-twentieth century. Hundreds of companies and individuals became rich on minute leases, some locations so close that derrick legs overlapped. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)
(
David McNew/Getty Images
)

Oil companies are increasingly pouring millions of dollars into legislative contests in California, supporting black and Latino Democrats.

During any campaign season, money flows in all different directions.

It's probably no surprise that big oil companies look for politicians to support who might be friendly toward protecting their interests.

But the environmental watch dog group, the California Environmental Justice Alliance, says more of the oil cash is increasingly flowing to black and Latino Democrats. Laurel Rosenhall has been writing about this for CALmatters.

"There are a lot of Democrats in the state legislature, particularly African Americans and Latino Democrats who represent economically depressed regions, but are voting in a way that is very sympathetic with major industries, including the oil industry," says Rosenhall. 

Republicans are now a small sliver of the state's electorate party in California. The party has shrunk and business interests have shifted their spending. 

"Traditionally, the oil industry and the big businesses they really put their money into electing Republicans, says Rosenhall. 

"Business has shifted its financial support for Democrats, so the game for them is about getting the right kind of Democrats."