INTERACTIVE ELECTION GUIDE
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Even after spending $10.1 million on his re-election bid, Republican Gov. John Kasich is entering the last leg of the campaign with a pile of cash — $4.58 million — compared with the relatively paltry $247,930 held by Democratic challenger Ed FitzGerald, according to campaign finance reports filed Thursday.
FitzGerald spent $2.3 million between July and October, including about $900,000 on ads that ran before his campaign ran into the rocks with disclosures about how he didn’t have a proper driver’s license for a decade and was found in a parked car at 4:30 a.m. with a woman who was not his wife. His campaign also sent checks totalling $253,000 to county Democratic parties.
Meanwhile, the race for attorney general appears to be between two lawyers with deep pockets. In 2010, Republican Mike DeWine personally loaned his campaign $2 million— and the campaign still owes him $300,000. This year, Democratic challenger David Pepper of Cincinnati donated $1.15 million of his own money to his bid to unseat DeWine.
The Pepper and DeWine campaigns are both spending heavily in the race. Pepper spent $3.5 million while DeWine shelled out $2.5 million during the June to October reporting period, making it the most costly race behind the contest for governor.
In the statewide races from June to October, $34.9 million has been spent, including $4.5 million by the Ohio GOP and $2.98 million by the Ohio Democratic Party.
In the race for treasurer, Republican incumbent Josh Mandel spent $2.4 million and raised $344,586 while Democratic challenger Connie Pillich spent $1.1 million and raised $254,332.
In the race for auditor, Republican incumbent Dave Yost spent $701,440 and raised $108,951 compared with Democrat John Patrick Carney spending $998,210 and raising $70,698.
In the race for secretary of state, Republican incumbent Jon Husted raised $76,445 and spent $1.4 million while Democratic challenger Nina Turner raised $140,444 and spent $1.1 million.
Republican incumbent Ohio Supreme Court Justices Judith French and Sharon Kennedy raised $209,000 and spent $1.07 million between both campaigns. Democratic challengers John O’Donnell and Tom Letson raised a little under $73,000 and spent a little over $58,000 between both campaigns.
Local General Assembly races
In the Ohio House race between incumbent Democrat Roland Winburn and Republican attorney Jeff Rezabek, Winburn raised $75,236 and spent $94,132 while Rezabek raised $10,955 and spent $8,615. But Rezabek was boosted by $283,411 in in-kind spending.
They are running in 43rd District which represents part of Dayton, Harrison Twp., Trotwood, Jefferson Twp., western Montgomery County communities and all of Preble County.
Likewise, in the Ohio Senate 5th district race, Republican incumbent Bill Beagle, R-Tipp City, raised $121,885 and spent $116,142 but also received $714,340 in in-kind support. Meanwhile, Democratic challenger Dee Gillis raised $86,036 and spent $92,395 and received $115,883 in in-kind support.
The 5th Senate District includes Dayton, western Montgomery County, all of Preble and Miami counties and part of Darke County. It is one of a handful of Ohio Senate districts considered competitive this year.
Big money in local judge races
Local races are notable for the amount of money one candidate loaned his own campaign in the race for for Montgomery County Common Pleas Court Judge, a job that pays $121,350 annually.
Republican attorney Richard Skelton, this year loaned his campaign $240,000 in his effort to unseat Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Frances E. McGee, a Democrat, according to campaign finance reports filed with the Montgomery County Board of Elections.
During the current reporting period Skelton raised $27,402 in contributions and spent $209,286.
McGee has not loaned herself money for this campaign, but does carry a $60,500 balance on a loan she made to her campaign in 2008.
During the current reporting period McGee raised $16,850 and spent $41,841.
In the judge race pitting incumbent Common Pleas Judge Dennis Adkins, a Republican, against attorney Susan Solle, a Democrat, Adkins raised $30,493 and spent $83,215. He lent his campaign $30,000 during the current period, carrying that loan in addition to a $112,000 loan he gave his 2008 campaign.
Solle raised $23,573, loaned her campaign $10,000 and spent $39,246.
Campaigns can spend more than they take in because of unspent money brought forward from earlier campaign finance reports. For example, the county Human Services Levy campaign took in $225,900 and spent $869,131.
Montgomery County races
In the race for Montgomery County auditor, incumbent Democrat Karl Keith raised $23,448 and spent $13,249. His Republican opponent who he ran against in 2010, Harry Bossey, raised $17,554 and spent $17,343.
In the three-way race for county commissioner, incumbent Dan Foley, a Democrat, led the fundraising drive with $73,195 in contributions. He spent $69,148.
Republican Mike Nolan raised $12,446 and spent $6,448. Former Dayton Mayor Gary Leitzell, an independent, raised $4,162 and spent $4,855.
