COLUMBUS — Fundraisers, phone calls, well-placed connections and ideological generosity brought out more than $11 million in campaign giving during the last six months.
Candidates, parties and legislative caucuses reported their fund-raising activities Friday, July 31. The reports give a glimpse at who is ahead and who still needs to shake the money tree to be a contender in the 2010 statewide races.
Here is a look at the match-ups from a fund-raising point of view:
Democrat incumbent Gov. Ted Strickland raised $2.5 million and sits on $4 million in cash. Republican John Kasich, a former congressman and FoxNews commentator, reported raising $516,309 with $451,293 on hand. Key fact: Strickland’s average contribution was $900.
Democrat Richard Cordray reported raising $1 million and has $2 million on hand. Former U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine, a Republican who announced his campaign last week, raised $39,500 while his primary opponent Delaware County Prosecutor David Yost raised $42,727 and has $30,123 on hand. Key fact: Cordray won a special election in November to become attorney general.
State Sen. Jon Husted, R-Kettering, raised $1.2 million and has $1.26 million on hand for his first bid for statewide office. His primary opponent, Sandra O’Brien, who pulled an upset victory over incumbent state treasurer Jennette Bradley in 2006, raised $310. Democrat Marilyn Brown, a Franklin County commissioner, raised $204,000 and has $181,408 on hand. Key fact: This is an open seat since Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner is running for the U.S. Senate.
Auditor Mary Taylor, a Republican, raised $107,900 and has $144,281 on hand while her Democratic opponent, David Pepper, reported raising $317,488 with $268,390 on hand. Key fact: The auditor sits on the Apportionment Board, which re-draws legislative district lines after the U.S. Census.
Democrat Kevin Boyce, who was appointed treasurer in January, raised $511,031 and has $486,278 while Republican state Rep. Josh Mandel of Lyndhurst said he raised $1 million and has $1.3 million on hand. Key fact: The Ohio Democratic Party boosted Boyce’s campaign account with $225,000 in contributions in late July while Mandel did not receive cash from the state GOP.
The Ohio Democratic Party raised $2.4 million between two main accounts. Key fact: more than $1 million came from unions.
The Ohio Republican Party raised $818,205. Key fact: American Financial Equipment Inc Chairman Carl Lindner of Cincinnati donated $100,000.
The Democratic caucus said it raised $2,241,043 and had $2,057,656 on hand while the GOP caucus raised $1,007,000 and had $901,700 on hand. Key fact: Democrats hold a four-seat majority in the House.
The Republican caucus raised $1,872,686 and has $1,801,848 on hand. The Democrats raised $227,581 and have $230,782 on hand. Key fact: the GOP controls 21 of 33 seats.
Staff Writer William Hershey contributed to this report.
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