There are Castellinis — Robert H., the owner of the Cincinnati Reds, and his wife, Susan, each gave $50,000. And Robert Farmer, chairman emeritus of the Cintas Corp., a uniform company, gave $350,000.
Abigail S. Wexner, wife of Leslie Wexner, founder of The Limited, contributed $1 million while John P. McConnell, the chief executive officer of Worthington Industries, contributed $500,000. Meanwhile, John Wolfe, former owner of the Dispatch, and his wife Ann contributed $125,000 each to the super PAC, which under federal law can collect unlimited donations from individuals.
“Gov. Kasich has built a strong base in Ohio and has attracted donors nationally because supporters have seen, many firsthand, how his policies and leadership are working in Ohio,” said Connie Wehrkamp, a spokeswoman for New Day for America.
New Day for America reported raising $11.1 million from April 20 through June 30 of this year while spending $823,809, according to documents filed with the Internal Revenue Service Thursday. The $11 million figure exceeded the organization’s original goal of $10 million, far behind the $103 million that Right to Rise, an organization supporting former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush has raised and behind Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, whose super PAC Unintimidated has raised around $20 million.
A second organization — New Day for America Independent Media Inc. — raised $600,000 in one day, according to documents filed with the Internal Revenue Service Thursday, meaning Kasich has nearly $12 million in financial support. The second organization is devoted strictly to buying TV, radio and Internet ads.
The numbers are impressive considering Kasich entered the race later than his rivals, but also spotlights how important the money race can be to a candidate’s fortunes.
In all, about $7 million of the New Day for America’s money — roughly 63 percent of all donations — came from 66 Ohio donors. Some gave multiple donations. California donors gave more than $2.2 million and New Yorkers gave $655,000. Florida donors gave $402,200.
Some donors may not be Ohioans but have strong ties to the state. Venture capitalist E. Floyd Kvamme and his wife Jean gave $100,000 each to Kasich. They are the parents of Mark Kvamme, the California venture capitalist who helped design and implement JobsOhio, Kasich’s nonprofit organization aimed at job creation.
Four donors – including Schottenstein and Abigail Wexner – gave $1 million to the organization. Thomas Rastin of Mount Vernon, Ohio, and the Wendt Family Trust of San Francisco, Calif., also contributed $1 million.
Barry Bennett, a Republican consultant with Ohio ties who is managing the presidential campaign of Ben Carson, said he would have expected Kasich’s “first money would come from Ohio.” But he warned that “Ohio has a limited supply of megadonors and it sounds like he’s talked to most of them. The second act is harder.”
The super PAC spent $823,809, with the highest expenses going to pollsters and media production, including $218,500 to the polling firm American Viewpoint.
The $600,000 haul the second organization — New Day for America Independent Media Inc. — raised on June 30 came from two donors: Michael Downer of Pacific Palisades, Calif., an employee of the Capital Group; and MMWP12 LLC, a Whitefish, Mont., company that had incorporated the day before giving the donation. Downer gave $100,000 and the Whitefish company $500,000.
The Center for Public Integrity reviewed business filings indicating that the company is controlled by another Montana-based company called K2M LLC. The company lists two officers: Mark Kvamme and Paul Johannsen, a real estate developer in Whitefish. A Lexis-Nexis search of business records lists Mark and Patricia Kvamme as prior executives of K2M LLC.
Calls to Kvamme and Johannsen were not returned. A spokeswoman for New Day for America refused to comment on the donation or the company.
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