Roy DeLoach, CEO of the National Association of Mortgage Brokers, tried to keep an even hand as the group’s political action committee distributed campaign contributions. But the Texas-based organization’s supporters grew increasingly restive about the Democrats’ legislative agenda in 2009 and 2010.

As the last Congress approved landmark financial sector and health care reform bills that they felt hurt their industry, many small business owners in NAMB questioned why they should continue to give money to Democrats, DeLoach said.

“The leadership at the association’s tone was, ‘Roy, why would we want to give to someone that’s killing small business off?’” when Democratic fundraising requests came in, DeLoach recalled in an interview with the Center for Public Integrity. “‘Are we out of our mind to give to someone that’s trying to put us out of business?’”

So, like many other political action committees, NAMB’s PAC shifted its giving from Democrats to Republicans over the 2010 campaign cycle. By July, it gave only to Republicans. Democrats were shut out.

The cost was noteworthy. The sole national trade association for the mortgage broker industry distributed about $200,000 to 75 federal candidates over four years. Its donations were split fairly evenly in the 2008 election cycle, with a small advantage to Republicans. Last year, 88 percent rolled out to GOP candidates.