"Although it's been 87 years since a Virginian has resided at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, make no mistake that the Mother of Presidents is as important as ever in deciding who will become the next Chief Executive of the United States. While she doesn't have a child in this year's race she's a sugar mama to anyone seeking to move into the White House in 2009.

The Hook examined federal disclosure forms and found that candidates have raised over $290,000 through fiscal year 2007 in the Charlottesville area alone. But locals aren't just opening their wallets for their favorite presidential contenders. They're donating time, star power, and, yes, helium.

Jack Faw: $2,000 (plus $3,000+ in blimp costs) to Ron Paul

Seven months ago, retired goat farmer Jack Faw had no intention of getting involved in this year's presidential campaign, He'd had his hopes dashed one time too many.

"I worked hard for Barry Goldwater in 1964," says Faw. "When he lost, I was heartbroken. Since then, I've just voted for the lesser of two evils."

But then, in May of last year, Faw was watching a Fox News debate between the Republican candidates in South Carolina, and he fell in love at first fight.

"When I saw Ron Paul stand up to power and tell Rudy Giuliani that it's our interference in the Middle East-- not our values-- that makes the terrorists hate us, I got online and made a donation to his campaign that night," says Faw.

The more Faw learned about the Texas congressman, the more he knew this wouldn't be a one-night stand.

"He's like a prophet," says Faw. "Our government is way too big, we're going broke, and he's the only man standing up against it. He's been in Congress 35 years fighting for the things I believe in, and I didn't even know it."

The law limits contributions to $2,300 per election, but Faw has found ways to go beyond donating cash to Paul's coffers. Every day, he hands out literature and preaches the gospel according to Paul to anyone who will listen. That's a task that's become easier with the help of a particularly conspicuous visual aid he acquired for $3,000-- a 15-foot long helium blimp.

"Radio and newspaper ads, they just get lost," says Faw. "But this blimp's definitely gotten people's attention. Our group has really grown over the last few weeks."

Jim Hingeley: $2,200 to Barack Obama

In recent presidential elections, one technique voters have used to pick which horse to back is asking, "Who would you like to have a beer with?" If public defender Jim Hingeley ever gets to have that hypothetical brew with Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL), they will have a lot of common experiences to talk about.

"After he graduated from Harvard Law School, he could have written his own ticket," says Hingeley, himself a graduate of Harvard and UVA Law, "but instead he went to Chicago, wanted to give back, and got involved in public policy. I identified with that."

After meeting Obama in March at a reception in Richmond with Gov. Tim Kaine, Hingeley was completely sure that he was betting on the right candidate.

"Sen. Obama just seems to have really good judgment," says Hingeley. "It's not just about the issues at hand, but when you're president, you get hit with all kinds of issues you can't predict. He has the judgment, the life experience, and the public policy experience to make the right call."

Hingeley so strongly believes in Obama that he's currently using his January vacation time to campaign for the freshman senator in the key early primary state of South Carolina.

"I'm in my car driving down to Charleston right now," Hingeley told the Hook Wednesday, January 2, more than three weeks before the Palmetto State's primary. "I don't quite know what to expect, but I'm ready for anything."

Duane Zobrist: $2,100 to Mitt Romney

While most Americans are only beginning to become acquainted with former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney (R), Duane Zobrist's support for the whole Romney clan goes back 40 years.

"In 1967, when I was an undergrad at the University of Utah, I was the chair of Students for George Romney [Mitt's father, then Governor of Michigan], back when Mitt was just a kid," says Zobrist, a Charlottesville attorney.

Now that both he and Romney are grown, Zobrist says that Romney is the best man to move into the White House in January 2009.

"He just hits home runs in everything he does," says Zobrist of his candidate. "From founding [Boston-based private equity firm] Bain Capital, to saving the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics when they were in such, bad corrupt shape and saved us a national embarrassment, to governing as a true conservative in the bluest state, he's accomplished a lot, and he's a winner."

Much has been made of the fact that Romney is a practicing Mormon. As recently as last month, former Arkansas governor and Romney rival for the GOP nomination Mike Huckabee wondered aloud to the New York Times, "Don't Mormons believe that Jesus and the devil are brothers?"

Zobrist believes that Romney has handled the issue of his religion correctly.

"He's taken the right position in that it's not an issue," he says. "He's been married to the same woman his whole life, and he would bring a level of morality to the presidency, but he hasn't made an issue of it. I'm a Mormon, but I support him because he's the best man for the job."

Doug Caton: $500 to Duncan Hunter

As the founder and chair of Management Services Corporation, a Charlottesville-based property-management firm specializing in building and restoration, an issue that's particularly important to Doug Caton is illegal immigration. That's why he's backing California congressman Duncan Hunter in his run for the White House.

"We are the only developed nation that cannot control its own border. So he sponsored and got passed a law to build an 850-mile fence along the Mexican border," says Caton of the Republican lawmaker. "So far we've built only a mile of it. At that rate, it will take 850 years to complete, but he says he'll get it done in his first six months in office."

Additionally, Caton, a Vietnam veteran in the 82nd Airborne and a retired major general in the U.S. Army Reserve, says he relates to Hunter's Vietnam experience as an Army Ranger.

"I'm really uncomfortable with politicians sending young men and women to war who have never heard a shot fired in anger," says Caton. "Other than [Sen.] John McCain [R-AZ], Duncan Hunter is the only one with any experience in active military where the rubber meets the road, and John McCain makes bad judgments."

Currently, Hunter's chance of winning the Republican nomination is a long shot at best. At press time, a Gallup survey put Hunter dead last among Republicans voting in this week's New Hampshire primary, polling at 1 percent. Caton says that both he and Hunter remain undaunted.

"He's the underdog," says Caton, "but he's a doer, and he makes better sense than most of the nonsense coming out of Washington."

John Grisham: $2,300 to Hillary Clinton

When best-selling author John Grisham got on board with Sen Hillary Clinton's (D-NY) presidential campaign, it was the fruition of a more than 10-year relationship.

"We go way back," Grisham told the Hook in August. (He was unavailable for a comment for this piece.) "We met the Clintons 15 years ago when they were in the White House for a screening of The Pelican Brief."

At the September 23 fundraiser Grisham hosted for Clinton at the Paramount Theater, the former First Lady revealed the connection goes back even further than that. She said that some recent genealogical research had revealed her husband and Grisham, both born in Arkansas, were "like 17th cousins twice removed."

Grisham retorted, "Sooner or later, everyone there's pretty much related."

That event raised a reported $200,000 for Sen. Clinton's campaign, accounting for her huge fundraising lead among Charlottesvillians in fiscal year 2007. (See graph, p. 33).

Should Clinton eventually return to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Grisham joked in September that he might be considered for a prestigious post abroad.

"Paris or Rome, can I plug in for those two?" Grisham asked from the stage.

"Sure," Clinton deadpanned. "I'll just add you to the list."

Other notable campaign donations from Charlottesville

Patricia Kluge (entrepreneur, Kluge Estate Winery)- $2,300 to Hillary Clinton

Boyd Tinsley (fiddler, Dave Matthews Band)- $2,300 to John Edwards

Peter Griesar (former keyboardist, Dave Matthews Band)- $1,000 to Hillary Clinton

Jim Murray (venture capitalist, Court Square Ventures)- $2,300 to Barack Obama

Ludwig Kuttner (former CEO, Hampshire Group)- $500 to Barack Obama

Phil Wendel (founder, Atlantic Coast Atlantic Club)- $2,000 to Rudy Giuliani

SIDEBAR- (Lindsay Barnes, The Hook, January 10, 2008)