ELECTION 2008
Incumbent judges dominate fundraising
Thursday, July 31, 2008
COLUMBUS — When you go into the voting booth in November, don't be surprised if you draw a blank on the two guys running for Ohio Supreme Court.
Absent a dramatic turnaround in fundraising trends, Democrats Peter M. Sikora and Joseph D. Russo won't have much campaign cash to get their names known statewide. And they're going up against well-funded incumbent Justices Evelyn Lundberg Stratton and Maureen O'Connor.
A study by Ohio Citizen Action released Tuesday, July 29, shows Stratton has raised 31 times more money than her opponent, Sikora, while O'Connor has raised 23 times more money than Russo.
Between Nov. 5, 2007, and April 4, Stratton raised $244,281 compared with Sikora's $7,660. During the same period, O'Connor raised $268,598 compared with Russo's $11,621.
Races for six-year terms on the seven-member court are nonpartisan. The entire court is held by Republicans.