THE VALLEYS Incumbents build funds for campaigns

Two Valley-area congressman didn't raise any money locally.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- The members of Congress who represent the Mahoning and Shenango valleys have built six-figure campaign war chests to fend off any potential challengers when they run for re-election next year.
U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, raised $72,900 in campaign donations between July 1 and Sept. 30, with $63,270 of it coming from political action committees, according to his latest financial report filed Wednesday with the Federal Election Commission.
Half of the 18 individuals who contributed to Ryan's campaign during this year's third quarter are officials with RTI International Metals Inc., a Weathersfield company. The officials gave $4,900 to Ryan, and RTI Metals Inc.'s PAC gave $4,000 to him. Ryan has been an avid opponent of the president's decision to use titanium from Russia for military products rather than the more expensive material made by U.S. companies, including RTI.
Ryan also received $1,000 contributions each from the MCI Employees PAC and SBC Communications Inc. Employees Federal PAC. Ryan was among only eight members of the U.S. House to vote last month against legislation to make sure the national do-not-call telemarketing list went into effect.
Ryan spent $37,690 between July and September, with $24,382 going to Fraioli and Associates, a Washington, D.C., firm whose owner serves as his campaign treasurer, for "fund-raising consulting."
Ryan, who came into 2003 with $240 in his campaign fund, has built it up to $118,797.
LaTourette
U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette of Madison, whose district includes seven northern townships in Trumbull County, has the largest campaign fund among House members who represent the local area. LaTourette, R-14th, had $432,189 as of Sept. 30.
LaTourette raised $91,474 between July 1 and Sept. 30. LaTourette already had $430,625 in his campaign fund coming into July, the most of any local member of Congress.
Subtracting the $89,910 he spent between July and September, including a $25,000 contribution to the Summit County Republican Club, left him with $432,189 in his campaign fund as of Sept. 30.
LaTourette received no contributions from anyone in the Mahoning Valley. He received $66,250 from PACs, and the rest from individuals outside the Valley.
Strickland
Like LaTourette, U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland received no contributions from Valley residents. Strickland raised $38,996 between July and September, with $24,225 coming from PACs and the rest from individuals.
Strickland, of Lisbon, D-6th, received $2,000 each from the FirstEnergy PAC, and the SBC Communications Inc. Employees Federal PAC. Strickland sits on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and has been a vocal supporter of FirstEnergy, which some blame for this summer's national blackout. Also, Strickland, like Ryan, voted against the do-not-call list.
Strickland spent $8,485 between July and September.
Including the money Strickland already had coming into the year's third quarter, he had $270,635 in his campaign fund as of Sept. 30.
Hart and English
U.S. Rep. Melissa Hart of Bradford Woods, Pa., R-4th, raised $208,779 during the year's third quarter and spent $130,553, including $22,500 in consulting fees, during the same time.
U.S. Rep. Phil English of Erie, Pa., R-3rd, raised $191,750 between July and September and spent $112,147 during that time.
Including the money they had going into the third quarter, Hart had $203,107, and English had $429,887 in their campaign funds as of Sept. 30.
The money raised by the incumbents will give them advantages over any challengers during next year's election. It is rare for a challenger to beat a sitting member of Congress in a general election without outspending the incumbent.
skolnick@vindy.com