Charles Koch: No GOP presidential candidate favorite yet

Billionaire industrialist Charles Koch hasn’t picked a winner in the “Koch primary.”

In an interview withThe Washington Post, Koch said he does not have a favorite in the race and dismissed suggestions that he and his fast-growing political empire have too much sway in American politics.

“There are so many things I would change!” Koch said. “If I had all this power, why aren’t they getting changed?”

Koch, who has long defined himself as a “classical liberal” rather than as a Republican, also had harsh words for both political parties. He said Republicans use better “rhetoric” than Democrats during campaigns but end up embracing “cronyism” once in office.

“I think Democrats are taking us down the road to serfdom at 100 miles an hour, and I think the Republicans are taking us at 70 miles an hour,” Koch told the Post‘s Matea Gold.

MORE:Charles Koch: We’re not in politics to boost our bottom line

Koch’s interview came as he and 450 contributors to his network wrapped up their annual summer gathering at which five presidential candidates answered questions and sought to woo the influential donors. The three-day “seminar” also emphasized the group’s work to broaden its base and reach out to disadvantaged communities. The United Negro College Fund’s president, Michael Lomax, whose organization received $25 million from Koch last year, had a prime speaking slot during a Sunday night dinner.

Koch network officials say pledges made during a final luncheon on Monday have put them on track to raise $889 million by the end of 2016 to fund a mix of policy, higher-education and political efforts.

MORE:Koch donors have trouble picking a candidate

In an April interview with USA TODAY, Koch said about $300 million of that sum would focus on electoral politics — an amount that rivals the nearly $400 million the Republican National Committee raised and spent in the 2012 presidential election.

Koch also told USA TODAY he was focused on five GOP candidates: former Florida governor Jeb Bush, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul. All but Paul spoke to donors during the three-day event. Paul declined an invitation.

This week, Koch seemed to suggest that the same five were in play.