Very little oil money on hands of local U.S. House reps

Even before the BP disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, Manatee's two representatives in Congress, Vern Buchanan, R-Bradenton, and Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, had opposed expanded drilling closer to Florida's shores.

So if you're connecting the dots, you'll find that the oil and gas industry, and individuals who work in it, have provided only the barest financial support for Buchanan, and none for Castor, since they were each first elected in 2006, according to data compiled by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics.

Buchanan, who has raised more than $14 million for his campaigns, has received a total of $14,500, from donors with ties to the oil and gas industry. Compare that to what CRP says Buchanan has received from his two most generous industries since 2006: real estate, $630,750; and the automotive industry, $480.760.

None of Buchanan's contributions came from  BP's political action committee, which since 2006 has donated more than $493,000 to members of Congress and other federal candidates, according to CRP.

In the current election cycle, oil and gas-related PACs have contributed more than $4.7 million to members of Congress and other candidates. Of that, 65 percent has gone to Republicans, and 35 percent has gone to Democrats, according to CRP.

The oil and gas PACs contributing the most to candidates this year are Koch Industries, $488,500; Exxon Mobil, $359,450; and Valero Energy, $338,500. BP this year has contributed $75,500, according to CRP.