"I don't know that this is specific to academia," says Skocpol. "My understanding as a political scientist is that...people at Harvard are the same as the other professionals in and around the Democratic Party. There's something about Bradley that seems to be attractive to educated people who seem to have relatively good incomes."
The Rules
Under campaign finance guidelines, individuals may give $1,000 per election per candidate, but no more than $25,000 per year. "Per election" refers to each separate election, and not to each election cycle--professors can give money both during the primary and during the general election.
"You could give, say, Senator Joe Smith $1,000 for his primary, and then turn around and give $1,000 for his general [election]," explains Kelly A. M. Huff, an FEC spokesperson.
The ruling that "individuals" can make such donations allows multiple contributions from the same source.
Former senator Alan K. Simpson, director of the Institute of Politics (IOP), said he plans to take advantage of the loophole in his support of Bush.
"Whatever the law requires, I will be making the maximum contribution," Simpson says. "He's a sharp, smart, savvy guy...someone to work on both sides of the aisle for the common good."