DaytonDailyNews.com

Pity the poor congressional underdogs.

Especially in the Republican-dominated congressional districts of southwestern Ohio.

Through the end of June, the five Republican congressional candidates here had raised more than four times more money than Democrats — for the Nov. 4 election — roughly $7.8 million to

$1.8 million, a Dayton Daily News analysis of Federal Elections Commission data found.

A significant chunk of the Republican advantage came from political action committees and other committees, the analysis found. The five GOP candidates received a combined $3 million or

39 percent of their total contributions from such committees, compared to only $263,000 or 15 percent for the Democratic challengers.

Of the Republicans, incumbent U.S. Reps. John Boehner, Jim Jordan and Mike Turner raised the bulk of the total contributions, while state Sen. Steve Austria, R-Beavercreek, who is running to replace retiring U.S. Rep. David Hobson, R-Springfield, also held a fundraising advantage. The study looked at fundraising from the beginning of 2007 through the end of June 2008.

Only U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt, R-Loveland, held a fundraising disadvantage. Democrat Victoria Wells Wulsin, whom Schmidt narrowly beat in 2006, raised a little more than $1 million, while Schmidt raised $864,684. Wulsin, a doctor, had raised $932,024 in individual contributions, $400,000 more than Schmidt, and enough to repay $39,000 in loans she made to the campaign in 2006.

Schmidt spokesman Bruce Pfaff credited Wulsin's advantage to West Coast and East Coast donors. However, while about 37 percent of Wulsin's individual contributions came from out of state, the analysis found she still got $467,049 from Ohio donors — almost $78,000 more than Schmidt.

Pfaff said the campaign isn't worried – Schmidt managed to win in 2006, when the environment for Republicans was worse than it has been for years. And, he noted, she is leading in polls.

"Left-wingers seem to be willing to fund losers," Schmidt said.

But Wulsin spokesman Kevin Franck said Wulsin's fundraising edge is a sign of what's to come.

"It is very unusual for challengers to outraise incumbents," Franck said. The fundraising edge, he said, "gives us a better shot at getting the truth out."

Elsewhere:

• Turner has a 3-1 fundraising edge over Washington Twp. Democrat Jane Mitakides, who had to contribute $140,788 to her campaign to get that close. Through June 30, Mitakides had contributed or loaned her campaign 43.8 percent of the money it has raised. But the data came before Mitakides held a fundraiser with TV talk show host Jerry Springer.

Mitakides said the decision to use her own money on the campaign was not an easy one. She said she relied on personal funds particularly in the beginning to get her campaign off the ground.

"I had to absolutely believe, first of all, that the race is winnable and that I could do a good job and make a difference or I wouldn't have done it at all," she said. "I certainly wouldn't have asked my family to immerse themselves in this as well. It's a big decision. It's a big number."

Turner, who raised $965,898, has not contributed any of his personal money to his campaign. Matt McDowell, a spokesman for Turner's campaign, said Turner "appreciates the support of a broad range of donors, which will help him support WPAFB, attract new jobs, fight for the Wilmington Air Park, and for a comprehensive energy policy."

• In Greene County, Miami Twp. Democrat Sharen Neuhardt, meanwhile, held a significant fundraising disadvantage compared to Austria through June, but since then she's gotten the support of Emily's List — a political action committee devoted to helping pro-choice women — and become part of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's "Red to Blue" program, which also provides financial support. That, said Jessica Kershaw, a Neuhardt spokeswoman, has spurred other donors to consider the race viable.

Through June 30, Neuhardt raised a little more than $363,000, less than half of the almost $819,000 Austria has raised. Though the district has been Republican since 1939, Kershaw said it looks promising.

"Now that national donors know about this race, we will be able to run this race the way it should be run," she said.

But Austria also feels confident. Voters in a large chunk of the district already know him because he represented them in the Ohio Senate.

"We're working very hard," he said.

• Boehner, R-West Chester, the House minority leader, has raised a whopping $4.5 million, including more than a million that he received from a lawsuit with U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash. In comparison, his Democratic opponent, Nicholas von Stein, a substitute teacher who just finished graduate school at Miami University, had raised $16,159. That gives Boehner a 279-1 edge in fundraising.

And that's not including the millions he raises and distributes through his Freedom Project political action committee.

Von Stein admits he's outgunned.

"Obviously I knew going into this that this is an uphill battle," said von Stein, 29, who admits his congressional ambitions were waylaid by the challenges of moving, finishing graduate school and raising a child with his wife. "That's putting it lightly at this point in the campaign."

• Finally, there's Mike Carroll, the hopelessly out-funded challenger in the District 4 race against incumbent Republican Jim Jordan.

Carroll, a Mansfield steelworker, had posted $2,286 in individual contributions, $7,800 from committees and $1,400 from himself. Meanwhile, Jordan, the first-term incumbent from Urbana, had raised almost $628,000 in contributions. That gave Jordan a 55-1 edge on Carroll.

Carroll, 48, knew he had a fundraising disadvantage from the start in a district that hasn't elected a Democrat since 1936.

"It's so hard for a challenger, unless you bring a lot of money with you to the table," he said. "There's no advantage to being underfunded like this."