Allen's Va. Senate Bid Gets Help From Texas Billionaire

Texas billionaire Bob Perry has given $1 million to the Virginia super PAC supporting Republican George Allen in a move aimed at helping his campaign in the final stretch of the U.S. Senate race against Democrat Tim Kaine.
 

The conservative homebuilder was a big contributor to former President George W. Bush's campaigns and was one of the key backers behind the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth campaign in 2004 that helped undermine Sen. John Kerry's 2004 bid for the presidency, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
 

Perry made the donations to the pro-Allen Independence Virginia PAC in four $250,000 installments from July to August, the newspaper reported Tuesday, citing reports from the Federal Elections Commission.
 

The contributions make up nearly all of the PAC's third-quarter disclosure total of $1,087,500.
 

Contributions to the pro-Allen PAC have drawn fire from Kaine. According to the Times-Dispatch, Kaine has called on the PAC to return a $10,000 donation from Wyoming businessman Foster Friess, a supporter of conservative Christian causes who Kaine says promotes "intolerance" and once suggested President Barack Obama should invest in a "bulletproof teleprompter."
 

Allen and Kaine, both former governors, are battling for the seat Allen held for 6 years until Democrat Jim Webb beat him in the 2006 election. Webb is retiring after serving one term.