Washington - As the Obama administration and Democrats wrangled over health care overhaul efforts during the first half of the year, the Democratic Party's Blue Dog political-action committee was receiving more than half of its $1.1 million in campaign contributions from the pharmaceutical, health care and health insurance industries, according to watchdog organizations.

    The amount outstrips contributions to other congressional political-action committees during the same period, according to an analysis by the Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit watchdog organization. The Blue Dogs, a group of fiscally conservative lawmakers that includes Georgia Rep. Sanford Bishop of Albany, successfully delayed the vote on health care overhaul proposals until the fall.

    "The business community realizes that (the Blue Dogs) are the linchpin and will become much more so as time goes on," former Mississippi congressman turned lobbyist Mike Parker told the organization's researchers.

    During their tenure in Congress, Georgia Blue Dog Reps. John Barrow, Jim Marshall, David Scott and Bishop have received a combined total of more than $2.1 million from health care and insurance industries.

    Since 1989, on average, Blue Dog Democrats netted $62,650 more from the health sector than other Democrats, while hospitals and nursing homes also favored them, giving $5,680 and $5,550 more, respectively, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonprofit organization that tracks the influence of money in politics. Since 1990, Democrats in Congress on average received $59,015 from the health services, insurance and pharmaceutical industries while Republicans received $81,086, according to public campaign finance data.

    Campaign Mounts

    The contributions came at a time when health care, insurance and pharmaceutical companies were mounting a campaign against a government-run public health insurance option, fearing cost controls and an impact on business. The Blue Dogs' windfall also came at a time when the 52-member coalition flexed its muscle with the White House and the House Democratic leadership as an increasingly influential bloc in the health care reform debate.

    At the same time, many Blue Dogs were also meeting with health care and insurance industry executives and their lobbyists at fundraising breakfasts and cocktail receptions that cost upward of $1,000 a plate, according to public information compiled by the nonprofit Sunlight Foundation, which advocates greater government transparency.

    Since 2008, more than half of the Blue Dogs have either attended health care industry fundraising receptions or similar functions co-sponsored by lobbyists representing the health care and insurance industries.

    In June, as Rep. Mike Ross, D-Ark., who heads the coalition's task force on health care, publicly expressed the Blue Dogs' misgivings about the Democratic leadership's efforts, the former pharmacy owner was feted at a series of health care industry receptions. Ross has received nearly $1 million in campaign contributions from the insurance and health care industries over his five-term career.

    That same month, the American Medical Association, which lobbies for health care providers and is one of the top contributors to Blue Dogs, came out against a public option.

    Scott, who supports a public option and whose Smyrna, Ga., district office was defaced with a swastika after a heated town hall exchange this month, has received roughly $700,000 from the insurance and health care industries.

    "The health care industry is so diverse that they can't even agree," said Scott's chief of staff, Michael Andel. "He's only influenced by his constituency, and that includes health care providers."

    Bishop's Views

    In June of 2008, Bishop attended a $500-a-plate breakfast fundraiser at the Capitol Hill Club co-hosted by lobbyists Nicole Venable and Tammy Boyd, according to invitations compiled by the Sunlight Foundation. Venable represents pharmaceutical giant Novartis and Abbot Laboratories and Boyd represents DaVita Inc., a kidney care company and in 2008 she represented Johnson & Johnson.

    Bishop said he would like to see the public option in the final product, but acknowledges it may be subject to broader compromise once Congress reconvenes and discusses lessons learned during contentious town hall health care forums. The Blue Dogs' fiscally conservative streak and relationship with businesses positions the group to be a moderating voice in the continued debate, Bishop said.

    It has also meant that those sectors are more likely to donate to Blue Dogs than to more left leaning Democrats, he said.

    "Blue Dogs have been more fiscally conservative and more business leaning than the left members of the party and the Blue Dogs have been more willing to listen," Bishop said. "And Republicans, because they are perceived as pro business, tend to also get more support. More liberal democrats aren't seen as supporting business."

    Bishop and Marshall, D-Macon, have each received more than $500,000 from the health care and insurance industries over the course of their careers.

    "Money doesn't buy or influence my vote or judgment. Never has. Never will," said Marshall who opposes a public option.

    House Republicans, however, tend to collect more than Democrats - including Blue Dogs - from insurers, health professionals and the broader health sector, the Center for Responsive Politics found.

    Many of the Blue Dogs hail from districts that are conservative-leaning and have sizable numbers of Republican voters. According to the Sunlight Foundation, Blue Dogs often take positions that are favorable to the health care industry.

    During the 2008 cycle, individual members of the Blue Dog Coalition raised a combined $6.24 million from the health sector. The average contribution to a Blue Dog Democrat in the 2008 election cycle was slightly higher - $122,370 - than the average contribution to a non-coalition Democratic lawmaker, which was $116,748, according to the Sunlight Foundation.

    The Blue Dogs, many of whom hail from Southern and Midwestern states, pushed "rural health equity" with higher reimbursement rates for physicians and hospitals in areas of the country that struggle to recruit and retain health care providers.