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More than $10M raised in Ohio governor's race

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By JULIE CARR SMYTH, The Associated Press Updated 6:41 PM Friday, January 29, 2010

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Challengers outraised the controlling party in every statewide nonjudicial race in Ohiolast quarter, signaling a tough year ahead for those in power.

Campaign finance totals released Friday in the bellwether state still revealed comfortable fundraising leads for Gov. Ted Strickland and Attorney General Richard Cordray, both Democrats. Incumbent Treasurer Kevin Boyce made a weaker showing, outraised more than 3-to-1 by GOP challenger Josh Mandel, a veteran of the war in Iraq.

Strickland's campaign said the $6.2 million he had in the bank on Dec. 31 topped all other Democratic governors in the U.S. heading into a tough re-election campaign in a down economy. Republican challenger John Kasich raised $4.6 million to Strickland's $2.6 million during the final quarter of the year, though, and now the former presidential contender has $4.1 million on hand.

Strickland said he was "very grateful and very pleased" with his total.

In raw dollars, Strickland has raised more at this point in the campaign than any other governor in the state's history. The $5.7 million raised by Republican Bob Taft heading into 2002 and the $4.9 million raised by Republican George Voinovich in 1994 would amount to more in 2009 dollars when adjusted for inflation, however.

"These are tough times economically. A lot of people who would like to give and perhaps have given in the past are finding it even more difficult now because of their own economic circumstances," Strickland said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I am incredibly grateful for where we are. I think it says a lot that we've got approximately $6.2 million cash on hand and it's still very early in this campaign."

Kasich campaign manager Beth Hansen called it "remarkable" Kasich would raise so much against a "supposedly shoo-in incumbent."

"This level of strong momentum, this early in the race, speaks volumes about just how fed up Ohioans are with Ted Strickland's mismanagement of Ohio's finances and his tax increase, about how frustrated people are, and about how hungry they are for new leadership," she said in a statement.

Strickland successfully advocated last year for a two-year delay in the final installment of a 5-year, 21 percent income tax reduction. The move has cost him some points in the popularity polls. He says delaying a tax cut isn't properly characterized as a tax increase, but Republicans say it is.

Two open seats for statewide office — secretary of state and auditor — continue to appear headed for a party changeover. Both officials sit on the powerful apportionment board that will redraw legislative districts in 2010.

Republican Secretary of State candidate Jon Husted, a state senator, holds a strong fundraising lead in that race, with $2 million on hand — almost 10 times that of his closest competitor, Democratic state Rep. Jennifer Garrison. Republican Sandra O'Brien has $52,000 in the bank.

Auditor candidate David Pepper, a Cincinnati Democrat, is muscling out his opponents in the money race as well. The son of a former Procter&Gamble chief executive has $605,000 in the bank, 20 times that of either of his Republican opponents: former county prosecutor David Yost and state Rep. Seth Morgan.

Yost only last week moved into the auditor's race from the attorney general's race, leaving former U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine unopposed against Cordray. DeWine raised $780,000 for the quarter, more than Cordray's $517,000, but has $1 million on hand compared to the Democrat's $2.6 million.

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Associated Press Writer Andrew Welsh-Huggins contributed to this report.

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January 29, 2010 11:38 PM EST

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