WASHINGTON - Texas billionaire Harold Simmons has vowed to give away at least half of his fortune before he dies. That's good news for the hospitals, youth centers and ballet companies that benefit from his largesse - not to mention the Republican Party.

The Dallas tycoon, 80, has been among the most aggressive donors to take advantage of new rules that place few limits on how much money wealthy individuals and corporations can contribute to political groups.

Though he has never run for office, Simmons could profoundly shape the course of the 2012 presidential election simply by opening his checkbook. It wouldn't be the first time - a Simmons-controlled business in 2004 gave $3 million to the group Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, which helped to undermine Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry by attacking his Vietnam War record.

Those familiar with Simmons' thinking say he is motivated by a self-made businessman's impatience with government regulation and a practical interest in protecting his holdings.

"He has companies he has built and run over the years that have been tied in knots and red tape," said John J. Nance, author of Golden Boy: The Harold Simmons Story.

Simmons has declined on several occasions to speak to Reuters. He was unreachable for comment on Wednesday.

A pioneer of the leveraged buyout, Simmons is worth roughly $9.6 billion, making him the 33rd richest person in the United States according to Forbes magazine.

Simmons and his wife Annette gave $5.8 million over the past year to Republican candidates and causes. His holding company, Contran Corp, gave an additional $3 million.

The $8.8 million total is slightly less than the $10 million that casino magnate Sheldon Adelson and his wife have given to a group affiliated with Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich.

Unlike Adelson, Simmons has not put all of his eggs in one basket.

Simmons gave $5 million to American Crossroads, a "Super PAC" set up by Republican strategist Karl Rove to win control of the White House and Congress in the November elections. Contran gave another $2 million to the group.

Contran was the largest backer of Texas Governor Rick Perry's presidential bid, with a $1 million donation to Make Us Great again, a Super PAC set up to support the campaign.

Simmons himself gave $100,000 to Americans For Rick Perry, another affiliated group, but later gave $500,000 to Winning Our Future, a Super PAC supporting rival Newt Gingrich as Perry's campaign faded in the polls.

Contran's political-action committee has given $5,000 donations, the legal maximum, to Republican candidates Mitt Romney and Tim Pawlenty as well.

That approach is common in Texas, where donors commonly spread money around in order to ensure access.

"Many of the big donors in Texas bet campaigns like old ladies bet bingo. They have several cards lined up in front of them and they're playing them all at once," said Cal Jillson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

Simmons has been one of Perry's biggest backers during his tenure as Texas governor, a time when his company Waste Control Specialists LLC sought to set up a lucrative nuclear waste dump in the sparsely populated western part of the state. Perry sought to sideline a state commissioner who opposed expanding the scope of the project.

A company spokesman pointed to Simmons' extensive donations to Republicans as evidence that he was not targeting Perry for any special favors.

"Every congressman who comes dragging through Texas, if he stops in his office and he's got an 'R' by his name he's going to get money," Waste Control Specialists spokesman Chuck McDonald said in September.

Reuters