GOP spent big to help Law

The state GOP made more than $157,000 in contributions to Randy Law.
WARREN -- The state GOP really wanted a Republican to represent the 64th Ohio House District, as evidenced by its spending in the general election.
Randy Law of Warren had $157,364 worth of help from the Ohio House Republican Campaign Committee to upset state Rep. Daniel J. Sferra of Warren, D-64th, in November.
The GOP committee had provided $4,750 in in-kind services to Law for campaign literature and polling earlier in the campaign, but unleashed $152,614 in nine in-kind contributions between Oct. 22 and Nov. 3, according to the Ohio Secretary of State's office.
The GOP aid was used in the days before the election for media, advertising, printing, calling, mailing and more campaign literature, Law's report shows.
Law's campaign on its own also raised and spent about $17,000, based on his campaign expense filings before and after the general election.
Sferra's post-general election campaign finance report was not available on the Secretary of State's Web site on Tuesday. Earlier in his campaign for a third term he had spent $14,735 and had $5,147 on hand.
Outspent in the 65th
In another race for the Legislature, state Rep. Sandra Stabile Harwood of Niles, D-65th, spent $26,815 and received $1,840 in in-kind contributions from the Ohio Democratic Party and Ohio House Democratic Caucus. She defeated Republican Don Johnson of Hubbard, who spent $10,274. Stabile Harwood has $10,135 remaining in her campaign fund.
Sen. Marc Dann of Liberty, D-32nd, spent $134,146 and received $1,512 in in-kind services -- mostly smaller amounts for food, beverages, prizes and event help -- to win a full term in the Senate. He beat Republican Gary Pasqualone of Geneva, who spent $27,859.
Incumbent Trumbull County Commissioner Daniel Polivka easily raised more money and outspent his competition this year. He spent more than $29,000 to retain a seat he won by Democratic party appointment in January. Polivka's Republican rival, Philip DeCapito, spent $10,295.
In the other county commissioner race, Paul Heltzel spent $3,522 on his campaign for the seat held by Commissioner Joseph J. Angelo Jr. His Republican rival, Michael Colello, spent $2,962.