YOUNGSTOWN Campaign reports show power of incumbents to raise money

A Republican judge raised $73,715, including contributions from Democrats, while his opponent raised $250.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Ahh, the power of incumbency.
For the most part, incumbents running for re-election have raised more money than their primary or general election challengers, according to campaign financial disclosure reports filed Friday with local boards of elections.
For example, Judge R. Scott Krichbaum of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, a Republican, raised $73,715 between April 18 and June 7, compared to $250 for James Callen, his Democratic opponent. Callen has raised a total of $2,825.
Party loyalty apparently wasn't a factor.
Democrats who gave
Donations to Judge Krichbaum's campaign, mostly through the purchase of tickets to his fund-raiser, included $250 contributions from former Ohio Democratic Chairman Harry Meshel, former Mahoning County Commissioner David Engler, former Mahoning Democratic Chairman Don L. Hanni Jr., former Democratic congressional candidate Lou D'Apolito, former Youngstown judicial candidate Jeff Limbian, and businessmen Anthony Cafaro Sr. and Bruce Zoldan, who are both frequent Democratic donors.
Also, Robert Wasko, a Democratic member of the county board of elections, gave $275 to the judge. County Commissioner Ed Reese and Prosecutor Paul J. Gains, both Democrats, each gave $125.
State Rep. Sylvester D. Patton Jr., a Youngstown Democrat, raised $19,111 from April 18 to June 7, according to his report. Neither Jerome McNally, his challenger in last month's primary, nor William Sicafuse, his Republican challenger, filed campaign finance reports by Friday's deadline.
Neither is believed to have raised even $1,000.
Who contributed
About half the money Patton raised came from political action committees and lobbyists. He also received $2,900 from the Cafaro family -- $2,500 from Anthony, $200 from Anthony's wife, Phyllis, and $200 from J.J. Cafaro, Anthony's brother, who until his conviction last year of giving an improper gratuity to U.S. Rep. James A. Traficant Jr., was this area's most prominent political donor.
After the conviction, Cafaro's attorney said his client was going to assume a low profile in politics.
Patton also paid $2,270 to four members of Youngstown City Council for what he described as "campaign and election day work," on his financial disclosure report.
Councilman Rufus Hudson received $520, Artis Gillam Sr. got $690 and James Fortune got $540. Besides the three Democrats on council, Patton gave $520 to Richard Atkinson, a Republican, and $100 to Atkinson's son, Omar.
skolnick@vindy.com