What’s different is that down-ticket candidates for statewide races are raking in money like they’re at the top of the list.
“The stars are aligning for 2010 to be the year to break all monetary boundaries,” said Catherine Turcer, director of the Money in Politics Project for Ohio Citizen Action, a government watchdog.
Open seats, competitive races and the battle for control of the state Apportionment Board all are fueling what appears to be collective record fundraising.
U.S. Senate race
Republican Rob Portman, the former U.S. House member from suburban Cincinnati and former budget director and trade representative for President George W. Bush, has the most cash on hand of any candidate, nearly $8 million.
Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher, the Democratic candidate, spent heavily on TV to win the primary against Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner on Tuesday and ended up with just $906,738.
The winner will replace Republican Sen. George Voinovich, who is retiring.
Governor’s race
Strickland’s campaign likes to brag that the $7.1 million the governor has on hand at this point is a record, compared to $5.2 million for Republican challenger John Kasich. Strickland, however, kept on raising money after his election in 2006. But in 2009 to 2010 alone, Kasich, the former U.S. House member from suburban Columbus and former Lehman Brothers managing director, actually raked in more cash and in-kind contributions than Strickland, $7.1 million to about $7 million, according to the Money in Politics Project.
Kasich didn’t enter the race until June 1, 2009.
At the rate they’re going, Turcer said she expects the duo to raise more than the record nearly $29 million Strickland and Republican Ken Blackwell raised in the 2006 governor’s race.
Other races
Three candidates — one Democrat and two Republicans — had more than $2 million on hand. Democratic incumbent Attorney General Richard Cordray had about $2.2 million, but his Republican challenger, former U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine of Cedarville, had $1.1 million and historically is a proven fundraiser.
State Sen. Jon Husted of Kettering, Republican candidate for secretary of state, had slightly more than $2 million, giving him a big advantage over the Democratic candidate for the open seat, Maryellen O’Shaughnessy, the Franklin County clerk of courts, who had $266,232 on hand.
Democrat Kevin Boyce, appointed state treasurer by Strickland, is the incumbent but the $790,998 he had on hand isn’t even half as much as the $2.1 million reported by the Republican candidate, state Rep. Josh Mandel of Beachwood.
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