CONGRESSIONAL RACES Dem candidates outspend their GOP foes
James A. Traficant Jr.'s campaign raised $26,308 between July and September, most of it from donors giving $50 or less.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Democratic candidates in the 17th and 6th Congressional District races are spending more and raising more money than their Republican opponents.
In financial disclosure reports filed Tuesday with the Federal Election Commission, Democrat Timothy J. Ryan of Niles, who is running for the 17th District seat, had a $146,760 fund balance as of Sept. 30, compared with $35,963 for his Republican opponent, Ann Womer Benjamin of Aurora.
Former U.S. Rep. James A. Traficant Jr. of Poland, who is running as an independent from his federal prison cell in Pennsylvania, has $48,345 in his campaign war chest. But unlike Ryan and Womer Benjamin, who spent $165,131 and $106,217, respectively, between July 1 and Sept. 30, Traficant's campaign spent $11,707 during that time period, mostly for food expenses at restaurants throughout the Mahoning Valley before the congressman was sent to jail July 30. Also, nearly $1,000 was given directly to Traficant for food and travel expenses in July before he was sentenced to eight years in a federal prison.
His campaign also paid $1,000 on Sept. 6 to L & amp;M Enterprise of Ravenna for the rent at his Portage County headquarters. It is not known if that is a monthly fee.
Traficant contributors
Between July 1 and Sept. 30, Traficant's campaign raised $26,308, more than one-third of the $69,041 Traficant has raised for this campaign.
The latest filing lists the names of four contributors between July 1 and Sept. 30, and none of them are from the Mahoning Valley. Giving $1,000 each were Lloyd D. Emch, a retiree from Wadsworth; Shirley Packer, a retiree from Mesquite, Nev.; and Edgar Wrenn, a hotel owner/operator from Las Vegas. Also, Imants Lukis of Tinley Park, Ill., who lists no occupation, donated $110 to Traficant's campaign.
The rest of the recent contributions -- $23,198 -- came from unidentified contributors. FEC rules do not require congressional candidates to list the names of donors who give $50 or less. Traficant received no money from political action committees from July to September. Also, none of his campaign staffers received a salary.
Traficant spent $93,177 on his campaign through the first nine months of the year.
Ryan's report
Of the $225,033 Ryan raised between July 1 and Sept. 30, $73,033 came from individuals and $152,000 came from political action committees. Through the first nine months of the year, Ryan has raised $423,399.
From July to September, Ryan spent $165,131, including a $50,000 media buy through Two Ticks and a Dog, a Warren production company that does the candidate's commercials, and about $12,000 to Sutters Mills, a Washington, D.C., consulting firm. Much of the other expenditures went for the salaries of his campaign staff. Ryan also reported he owes $11,000 in unpaid salary to six staffers.
Allen L. Ryan, the candidate's campaign manager and Ryan's brother, received $9,500 in salary between July 11 and Aug. 30, and is owed an additional $3,000. Patrick Lowry, his campaign spokesman, received $7,127 in salary between July 16 and Sept. 13, and is owed $2,500 by the campaign. Ryan's campaign paid salaries to 11 other people between July and September.
Through the first nine months of the year, Ryan's campaign spent $325,980.
Womer Benjamin
Of the $101,342 Womer Benjamin raised between July and September, $28,183 came from PACs and the rest -- $73,159 -- came from individuals. Through the first nine months of the year, she raised $222,830.
Also, David All, her campaign manager, said the National Republican Congressional Committee contributed $71,000 to Womer Benjamin after the Sept. 30 reporting date, bringing her fund balance over $100,000.
From July to September, Womer Benjamin spent $106,217, including $15,900 to Midwest Communications and Media, a Columbus company, for TV air time and billboards; more than $20,000 to Greener and Hook of Washington, D.C., for media production and consulting fees, and $7,500 to Public Opinion Strategies of Alexandria, Va., for polling.
All received about $9,000 in salary between July 2 and Sept. 29. Womer Benjamin has four other paid staffers.
Through the first nine months of the year, Womer Benjamin's campaign spent $186,897.
The 6th District
In the 6th District race, U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland, a Lucasville Democrat, had $530,209 cash on hand as of Sept. 30 compared with $84,969 for Republican Mike Halleck of Salem.
Of the $109,135 Strickland raised from July to September, $55,780 came from PACs. Of the $87,520 Halleck raised during the same time period, $9,500 came from PACs.
Through the first nine months of the year, Strickland has raised $669,910 compared to $152,054 for Halleck.
Strickland's $126,630 expenses from July to September include about $35,000 given to MacWilliams Robinson and Partners of Washington, D.C., for media consultant fees and media expenses, and about $24,000 to The Feldman Group of Washington, D.C., for polling.
Anthony Trevena, Strickland's campaign manager, is paid $1,604 every two weeks in salary. Strickland has two other paid staffers.
Strickland spent $404,408 during the first nine months of the campaign.
Of the $45,681 Halleck spent between July and September, almost $6,000 went to Matthew J. Ditchey of Youngstown as a consulting fee, and about $10,000 to Amos Communications of Beloit for various campaign printing and mailing materials. His report does not list any paid staff members.
Halleck spent $67,085 during the first nine months of the campaign.
skolnick@vindy.com