• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, June 9, 2008

With some speculation that Rupert Murdoch had begun to sour on the GOP, the News Corp. CEO recently gave the maximum to the committee charged with electing Republicans to the Senate this year.

Murdoch has contributed $28,500 to the National Republican Senatorial Committee--the most an individual can contribute in a year, according to FEC records.

Murdoch recently has shown an eagerness to support Democrat Hillary Clinton, hosting a fund-raising breakfast for her New York Senate re-election campaign in 2006, and last year donating the maximum $2,300 to her presidential run.

He has said, however, that he would like former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich to enter the race for the White House, if for no other reason than to elevate the debate.

There are no Senate races this year in either California or New York--the two states where the bulk of News Corp. operations are based. But Republican incumbents are running in six states where the company has local TV stations.

From a News Corp. standpoint, the company would appear to be well-positioned to appeal to both sides of the aisle. COO Peter Chernin, an avowed Democrat, recently gave $12,500 to the committee looking to elect Democrats to Congress in November.