A newspaper analysis has found that Gov. John G. Rowland’s political appointees and their families have donated over $161,000 to the governor’s re-election campaign.

“It shouldn’t be surprising that somebody who works for the governor has donated money for his campaign,” said Dean Pagani, Rowland’s campaign spokesman. “People who work for him believe in what he is trying to do.”

The analysis done for the Journal Inquirer of Manchester found 98 administrators or former administrators for Rowland when his re-election campaign began two years ago have donated to the campaign through the first week of October.

–Associated Press