The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Commentary: Campaign funds trickle  in for Dem’s Lee Fisher

Tom Tornatore (left), a Dayton resident, exchanges business cards with Lee Fisher. Fisher talked to his campaign workers and a few customers at The Brunch Club, a restaurant in downtown Dayton. Fisher is running for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate. He is currently the Lt. Governor of Ohio.

Ron Alvey Tom Tornatore (left), a Dayton resident, exchanges business cards with Lee Fisher. Fisher talked to his campaign workers and a few customers at The Brunch Club, a restaurant in downtown Dayton. Fisher is running for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate. He is currently the Lt. Governor of Ohio.

ENLARGE PHOTO

Man indicted for pornographic video of an infant
Updated 18 min. ago
Man carrying child killed by train
Updated 26 min. ago
Miami University puts regional director of admission, financial aid on paid leave
4:27 p.m.
Rosemary Clooney musical makes world debut in Dayton
3:34 p.m.
Ohio home sales started year with gains
2:07 p.m.
> More headlines

By Jack Torry, Staff Writer Updated 8:53 PM Sunday, July 18, 2010

WASHINGTON — What is it about Lee Fisher?

He is a former state attorney general. He lost a respectable race for governor in 1998. He is currently the state’s lieutenant governor. The polls show he is in a tight race for the U.S. Senate against Republican Rob Portman.

But nobody seems to want to give him any money.

The latest campaign finance reports by Portman and Fisher were noticed — trust me, they were noticed — by politicians in Ohio and across the country. Portman has $8.8 million in the bank while Fisher has just over $1 million.

It is difficult, if not impossible, for anyone to overcome a 9-to-1 cash advantage, particularly in a state as large as Ohio. Not only will wealthy donors across the country be reluctant to throw money his way, but the national Democrat campaign committees may start looking at other races.

Democrats are puzzled by Fisher’s inability to collect campaign money because in the past, Lee Fisher could raise money with the best.

So what is the problem?

First, it is not entirely Fisher’s fault. Unlike Portman who was nominated without any opposition, Fisher had to burn through a few million dollars to turn back a primary challenge from Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner. Absent a primary, Fisher might have $4 million in the bank today, which would allow him to wage a decent media campaign.

The other reason is that money is tight this year across the country and Democrats are focused on saving their Senate incumbents. Winning Ohio would be nice for Democrats, but they are far more worried about Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in Nevada, Sen. Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, and Sen. Barbara Boxer of California. Any spare campaign dollars are postmarked Nevada or California.

And, unfortunately for Fisher, the small campaign treasury is clearly a sign that national Democrats are not entirely convinced he can win. In that sense, they are wrong because Portman is not invincible.

Portman has never run statewide, and Ohio history suggests first-time statewide candidates often run badly. Except in his home of Cincinnati, most people north of Columbus have never heard of him.

He is extremely bright and earnest, but he won’t fire up many crowds with his plodding rhetoric. And he has a staff — from top to bottom — that seems to excel in one thing — picking silly fights with reporters.

Privately, those close to Fisher acknowledge the reality: Portman has done a masterful job of raising money. But they insist that Portman’s early feel-good commercials are not moving numbers in his favor. They like to say that Fisher can piggy-back on Gov. Ted Strickland’s effective campaign organization. And they claim that Fisher will have enough money.

“Lee will have the resources to show the clear choice in this election,’’ said John Collins, a Fisher spokesman.

Jack Torry is the Washington reporter for the Dayton Daily News and The Columbus Dispatch.

Share this article