The data shows that the lack of competitive statehouse races helps create a system where incumbents can send extra money to tighter districts where it can help swing an election. But it also means donors who contribute because they like a particular candidate end up helping candidates they may know nothing about.
One of the best examples statewide came in 2010 in the 5th Senate District.
Little-known Tipp City Republican Bill Beagle raised barely $12,000 for his 5th District race against incumbent state Sen. Fred Strahorn, a Democrat.
But in the two months before Election Day, the Ohio Republican Party and its Senate Campaign Committee poured in $908,067 — collected from other Republican senators and representatives around the state — for television ads and mailings that helped Beagle win the vote 51 percent to 49 percent.
And while statewide fundraising efforts collected even more in 2010, the Republican Party has a huge advantage so far this year. In three state-specific funds, Ohio Republicans had $8.31 million on hand in mid-April, according to campaign finance filings. State Democrats had just more than $750,000 on hand.
That means state Republicans could be ready this fall to pay for more ad blitzes like the one that helped propel Beagle to victory.
Money gets moved
According to the National Institute on Money in State Politics, Ohio’s state parties received $31.02 million from individual candidates’ committees in 2010-11. Pennsylvania ranked second on the list at $18.39 million and New York third at $14.4 million.
“(Individual politicians) take their donations that they raise and give it to the (state) caucus,” said Montgomery County Republican Party Chairman Rob Scott. “That money is given back, but normally more money is given to the competitive districts than the noncompetitive districts. And both sides do this.”
Since mid-2010, State Rep. Richard Adams, R-Troy, has listed $72,635 in contributions on his campaign finance forms, with roughly half coming from local residents and half from political groups. In that span, Adams has forwarded $66,500 (or 91.6 percent of his contributions) to state Republicans.
Local state representatives Terry Blair, R-Washington Twp., and Peter Beck, R-Mason, also gave more than 90 percent of their contributions to the state Republican Organization Committee.
Local Democratic state reps. Roland Winburn and Clayton Luckie both have given more than 64 percent of their contributions to the Ohio House Democratic Caucus since mid-2010.
Gene Beaupre, who teaches political science at Xavier University, said even some more sophisticated donors may not be aware of what a candidate does with their contribution, or that it could be used by someone else. Edwin Bender, executive director of the National Institute on Money in State Politics, agreed.
“There is a big distinction between the institutional givers who want to make sure they have a say at the table, and the individuals,” Bender said. “The individuals are going to be saying, ‘I like this (candidate), I like who he is and what he believes in.’ They may not support the guy in the next district over.”
Beaupre also said huge party contributions, like the ones to Beagle in 2010, can create feelings of obligation to the party, and affect legislation. “Parties operate on a ‘reward your friends and punish your enemies’ system,” Beaupre said. “When their legislative agenda comes out, if (legislators) are wanting to go across the line or not vote for something, this is something that’s in the back of their minds.”
Reasons, fallout
A review of all 12 Dayton-area state legislators shows that, as a whole, those politicians gave 72 percent of all money they raised since mid-2010 to statewide party groups — $1.43 million of the $1.99 million raised.
“We’re asked to help out as much as possible on other races that require more money — and some require a lot more money,” said state Rep. Mike Henne, R-Clayton. “Some people are better fundraisers than others. But we’re not required to give anything.”
But Scott said Republican legislators in Ohio are given specific fundraising goals, and they are aware that money will go to the state party. “In order for Terry Blair or Mike Henne to do something (on legislation), they need to have a majority up in Columbus,” Scott said. “In order to keep that majority, funds sometimes have to be diverted to a competitive district.”
Montgomery County Democratic Party Chairman Mark Owens agreed with Scott and said he thinks voters understand. “One vote won’t do anything in Columbus,” Owens said. “I think what people understand is that (a donation) is not just to get that one person elected, it’s to have an effective voice.”
Bender disagreed. “Certainly there’s nothing illegal about it, but you do have to wonder if someone is sending 50-60-70 percent of their money to the party, are they being somewhat disingenuous with their constituents?” he said. “To raise so much more money than you need does cause someone to scratch their head. ... That’s the candidates representing the political party, not their constituents.”
Joseph Steiner, a Mason-area farmer who has contributed to Beck’s campaign, said he was surprised at the percentage of money the candidates send to the state, but added that he wasn’t terribly upset about it, and trusted Beck.
“I’ve never contributed to the party itself; I want my support to go to the individual rather than the party,” Steiner said. “If Representative Beck feels that his best use of his campaign dollars are to help the Republican Party as a whole, then I’ll have to live with that.”
Local race on radar
It’s possible that some of the state parties’ money will come back to the Dayton area this fall, as both parties have said the new 43rd Statehouse District is more tightly politically balanced after redistricting. Incumbent Democrat Roland Winburn is facing a challenge there from Clayton Mayor Joyce Deitering.
State party officials did not comment for this story, but Owens said the race is on their radar.
“I do know they’re aware of how close the index is in Roland’s race, so I know they are paying attention,” he said. “I expect that’s a seat that they’re going to be very interested in keeping. ... What that means as far as dollars or what kind of effort is put in, I don’t know.”
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