Phillips has big lead in state rep fundraising
Campaign finance reports
By Nick Claussen
April 17, 2008
Democrat Debbie Phillips is starting out with a large funding lead over Republican Jill Thompson in the campaign for state representative.
As the recent primary elections in Athens showed, though, the amount of money spent on a campaign doesn’t by itself always translate into a victory. Democrat Susan Gwinn, for example, spent more than $50,000 on her campaign for county prosecutor and lost, while Democrat Jim Pancake spent just $401 on his campaign for county commissioner and won.
Phillips and Thompson are campaigning for the 92nd Ohio House of Representatives seat currently held by Republican Jimmy Stewart, who is running for the Ohio Senate.
In post-primary campaign reports filed by the candidates last week, Phillips reported that she has $46,082.61 on hand to spend on her campaign, while Thompson reported that she has $7,873 on hand.
The wide disparity in campaign funds is catching attention around the state, as it was mentioned in a Columbus Dispatch article on races where Democrats are hoping to pick up seats. It was also mentioned in the Ohio Daily Blog, a political blog that reported the race could be a good opportunity for Democrats to pick up a seat in the statehouse.
The reports show that Thompson raised $2,400 in the latest reporting period, and brought forward $6,454 from the pre-primary campaign finance reports (which were turned in on Feb. 21).
The donations Thompson reported receiving during this time period include $250 from the Ohio Pharmacists Association, $250 from Dayna Baird of Columbus, $250 from the Ohio Orthopedic PAC, $250 from Leah Pappas of Columbus, $250 from the Ohio Contractors PACV and $100 from Mark Bisang of Athens.
She has spent a total of $1,705 on her campaign so far.
Phillips reported receiving $24,884 during this time period, and bringing forward $34,359 from the February report.
Her donations include $500 from David Rutherford of Millfield, $200 from Bruce Mitchell, $200 from Paul Wiehl, $1,000 from Fende For State Representative, $2,500 from SEIU District 1199 PAC, $1,000 from Friends of Kenny Yuko, $300 from Claire Ball, $1,000 from Redfern Committee, $200 from William Bias, $500 from Mary Anne Flournoy, $5,000 from OAPSE AFSCME Turnaround Ohio PAAC and $250 from Parkersburg-Marietta Building Trades Council PCE.
She has spent a total of $4,147 so far on her campaign.
STEWART ALSO HAS a huge financial lead in his race against Democrat Rick Shriver for the Ohio Senate’s 20th District Seat. Stewart has $22,588 on hand for his campaign, while Shriver reported only having $341 on hand.
The bulk of Stewart’s donations in this report are from organizations, not individuals, and the large donations include $1,000 from the Wholesale Beer and Wine Association of Ohio, $1,000 from the Ohio Contractors PAC, $1,200 from the Ohio State Medical Association PAC, $1,000 from the Huntington Bankshares, Inc., PAC, and $1,000 from the Timken Co. Good Government Fund.
Stewart raised $17,500 during this reporting period and brought forward $12,534 from the previous period. He has spent a total of $9,588 on the campaign so far.
Shriver’s large donations include $2,000 from Teresa Fedor for Senate, $300 from Don Reynolds of Beverly, $1,000 from Don Flournoy and James Kiourtsis of Powell.
THE MOST MONEY spent in the local primary races was in the Democratic race for Athens County Prosecutor.
Susan Gwinn, chair of the Athens County Democratic Party, reported spending a total of $52,307 in her race, which she lost to incumbent C. David Warren, who reported spending $22,845.
Gwinn reported making a $27,000 loan to her campaign, and her donations included $2,000 from Renee Gorman of South Euclid, $500 from William Bias, $200 from Patricia Sikorski, $350 from AFSCME Council 8, $250 from Jack Ford of Toledo, $150 from Ric and Mary Abel and $100 from Gary Seeley. She also reported spending $3,720 on cable television commercials during this time period.
Warren’s donations included $246 from Michael Nolan, $241 from the Committee to Elect Ed Baum, $246 each from Denise Brooks, Mike Brooks and Jay Brooks (all of Nelsonville), $200 from Pat Lang, $500 from Harold Laughlin, $100 from Robert Gall, $250 from OCSEA/AFSCME, $562 from Nickie Blackburn, $250 from Emmett Conway, $50 from Larry Payne and $100 from Carol Patterson.
Warren is unopposed in the general election.
THE SHERIFF’S RACE was much closer in the amount of money spent. Democrat Pat Kelly, who defeated incumbent Vern Castle in the primary, reported spending $7,688, while Castle reported spending a total of $7,623.
Kelly will face Republican Stephen Kane in the November general election and reported having $135.60 left in his campaign funds.
Kelly’s donations included $350 from Bryan Cooper, $100 from Jimmy Childs (Childs and Cooper both work in the sheriff’s office and both have been involved in lawsuits against Castle), $100 from Francine Childs, $320 from Stuart Brooks, $100 from Dale Minor, $200 from Dan Johnson and $200 from Bill Wend.
Castle’s donations included $242 from Thomas Hooper (an in-kind donation), $500 from Constance Deberardinis, $100 each from Mary Ann and Jim Michaels, $100 from Clyde Beasley, $100 from Alan Trout, $200 from Alice Pennington, $500 from Larry Simmons and $250 from Pat Smith. Among Castle’s expenses listed in the report, he stated he paid Phillip Mazza $290 for political consultation.
Kane, who was not challenged in the Republican primary, reported spending $1,901 and stated he has $1,625 available for the fall campaign. His donations included $500 from Gregory Mickunas, $200 from Michael L’Heureux, $500 from Philip and Ellen Goldsberry and $200 from Richard and Glenna Grim.
IN THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER race, Trimble Mayor Doug Davis, who finished third in the Democratic primary, spent the most money.
Davis spent a total of $4,851 in the campaign. His donations included $1,000 from Joe Edwards, $200 from Dale Wharton and $100 from Margaret Covelle. His campaign expenses included donations to the Trimble Church of Christ and a Muscular Dystrophy organization.
Charlie Adkins and Jim Pancake tied for the victory in the Democratic primary, and then Pancake was declared the winner after a coin toss. Adkins is now asking for a recount (see related story).
Adkins reported spending $1,147 in the campaign, and his donations included $100 from Vern Castle, $300 from Ramona Hopkins, $50 from Susan Gwinn and $50 from Cheryl Warren.
Pancake reported raising just $305 in monetary contributions and $96 in in-kind contributions, and was not required to list who donated to his campaign. He reported that he spent all $401 of the donations.
Aliene Linwood reported spending $1,844 in her campaign, and her donations included $200 from Welton Hamilton of Arizona and $100 from Hilton Hamilton of Texas. She also reported spending all of the money she raised, and reported a charitable contribution of $36 to the Shade United Methodist Church.
David Ratliff reported spending $928 in the campaign, and his donations included $100 from William Safranek, $200 from Demetrios Prokos and $50 from Susan Gwinn.
Chad Kister reported spending less than $1 of in-kind contributions on his campaign. The contributions, from himself, were for ink for a printer (worth 50 cents) and eight sheets of paper (worth 40 cents).
Bob Baughman turned in a form stating that he did not receive any contributions and did not spend any campaign money during the reporting period.
In the Republican race, Larry Payne reported spending $1,445 in his campaign. Payne defeated Joe Yanity III in the primary and reported that he has $1,024 still available to spend.
His donations included $200 from Randy Morris, $50 from Jill Thompson, $100 from Alexander Couladis, $200 from Pete Couladis, $100 from Hector Flores, $100 from Connie Flores and $200 from John Wharton.
Yanity reported spending $815 in the primary. His donations include $250 from Jack Stouffer and $600 from himself.
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