Political donations from women spike

Women have substantially increased their political donations this cycle, according to a new study.

{mosads}Women’s overall giving to presidential campaigns is on pace to more than triple what was contributed in the 2000 election and exceed 2004 numbers. Donations of more than $200 by women to presidential campaigns increased from $37 million in 2000 to $115 million in 2004, according to the report by the Women’s Campaign Forum Foundation.

Women have already donated $109 million to the two major 2008 presidential nominees.

The $109 million figure does not include $60 million raised by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) for her presidential bid. It also does not factor in donations that have come in after Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) picked Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his running mate.

Findings from the study show that women command more than half of U.S. wealth, vote more often than men and engage in community activism and volunteer work at higher rates. This, experts argue, highlights the importance of tapping into the financial resources that can be provided by women in political campaigns.