VALLEY CONGRESSIONAL RACES Spending tops $1M in 17th

The candidates in the 6th Congressional District race also spent more than $1 million.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- The candidates in the 17th Congressional District race spent and raised more than $1 million, and the winner spent and raised more than his two opponents combined.
Democrat Tim Ryan, of Niles, who easily won the congressional race with 51 percent of the vote, raised $581,368 and spent $520,224 through Nov. 25, according to the latest financial report his campaign filed with the Federal Election Commission.
In comparison, Republican Ann Womer Benjamin of Aurora, who finished second with 34 percent of the vote, raised $362,166 and spent $346,907. Former U.S. Rep. James A. Traficant Jr. of Poland, who ran as an independent and finished last with 15 percent of the vote, raised $84,601 and spent $151,604 from Jan. 1 to Nov. 25. Traficant had about $60,000 in his campaign fund before the beginning of the year.
Expenses
Between Oct. 17 and Nov. 25, Ryan raised $67,795, with $49,525 of it coming from political action committees. He spent $111,953 during that time period, primarily to pay the salaries of his staff and a $30,000 advertising bill. His election night victory party at Mollica's Banquet Center in Niles cost his campaign $6,111.
Womer Benjamin raised $45,197 between Oct. 17 and Nov. 25, with $36,800 of it coming from PACs. She spent $66,077, about 41 percent less than Ryan, with most of it going toward advertising and consulting fees. Her election night get-together at the Mahoning Country Club in Girard cost her campaign $1,500.
Traficant trails
Between Oct. 17 and Nov. 25, Traficant's campaign raised $8,721, all from individuals, and most of them giving $50 or less. For the first time this year, Traficant received a contribution of more than $50 from someone who lives in the 17th Congressional District. Jean Marie Jones of Youngstown, whose occupation is not listed on Traficant's financial report, gave the imprisoned ex-congressman a $100 contribution Oct. 28.
Other contributors to Traficant between Oct. 17 and Nov. 25 include $500 from Lawrence DiRusso Jr. of Berlin Center, business manager of DiRusso Sausage; $250 from Daniel J. Charles of Boulder, Colo., no occupation given; and $99 from Ernest H. Ragland, a retired Arlington, Va., resident.
Traficant spent $21,348 between Oct. 16 and Nov. 25, primarily for media buys.
Traficant's campaign staff said they were working for the ex-congressman without pay. But the candidate's financial report shows a $500 payment on Nov. 19 to James E. Bunosky of Austintown, Traficant's campaign manager, who said on election night that his candidate was the victim of an elaborate conspiracy among the four boards of elections in the 17th District.
Also, Bunosky received $726 in campaign travel expenses, and Robert E. Barrett of Youngstown, Traficant's campaign treasurer, was reimbursed for $575 in campaign expenses. Both payments were made Nov. 19.
Traficant's election night party at the Girard Eagles Club cost $485.
6th District
The candidates in the 6th Congressional District race spent more than $1 million and nearly raised that amount, but the disparity is significant between the amounts spent and raised by Democrat Ted Strickland of Lucasville, who won the race, and Republican Mike Halleck of Salem.
Strickland spent $845,818 through Nov. 25 compared with $164,961 for Halleck. Also, Strickland, who beat Halleck in all 12 counties in the district, raised $756,186 through Nov. 25 compared with $177,544 for his Republican challenger.
Between Oct. 17 and Nov. 25, Strickland raised $50,310, and $41,972 of it came from PACs, and he spent $256,735 during that same time, including $86,600 in advertising and $69,950 for media consulting fees.
In comparison, Halleck raised $8,037 between Oct. 17 and Nov. 25, and $2,200 of it came from PACs. He spent $39,709 during the same period, primarily on advertising.
skolnick@vindy.com