POLITICS Bush fared better in contributions than Democrats in Mahoning Valley

Ohio has been financially good to the president.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Mahoning Valley residents didn't dig very deep into their pockets to contribute money to Democratic presidential candidates during the final quarter of 2003, but were generous to President Bush's re-election campaign.
Valley residents gave $35,800 to Bush's campaign between October and December 2003, according to an analysis of campaign finance reports by the Vindicator. During the previous nine months of 2003, Valley residents gave $28,300 to Bush.
Among Bush's local contributors during the fourth quarter were:
UAnthony M. Cafaro, owner of the Cafaro Co., who gave $2,000. Cafaro had previously given $2,000 to U.S. Sen. John Kerry, the Democratic presidential front-runner. Cafaro's wife also gave $2,000 to Bush.
UThe Benyo family of Austintown contributed $8,000.
UTrumbull County Republican Chairman Craig Bonar contributed $500.
ULeo Grimes, a nursing home administrator and former Girard City Council president, gave $1,500. He previously gave $500 to Bush.
UDr. Suman K. Mishr of Liberty, active in Trumbull Republican politics, gave $2,000.
Key state for Bush
Ohio, a key state for Bush when he won the presidency in 2000, continues to be good to him. Bush has raised $5.41 million in Ohio. It is the fifth-most amount of money from a state toward Bush's re-election effort.
While the fourth quarter of 2003 was good for Bush in the Valley, it wasn't for his Democratic challengers.
Former Vermont Gov. John Dean collected $1,500 during the fourth quarter, with $1,000 coming from the congressional campaign of U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th. During the fourth quarter, Dean was viewed as the Democratic front-runner, a position he no longer holds.
That title goes to Kerry, who received only $200 in the fourth quarter. That contribution came from Mary E. Rice of Lisbon. During that time frame, Kerry's campaign was struggling. Even so, with that contribution, Kerry, of Massachusetts, raised $26,550 in the Valley, the most of any Democratic presidential candidate.
Disclosure reports
Financial disclosure reports for this year's first quarter don't have to be filed with the Federal Election Commission until April 15, about six weeks after the Ohio primary.
U.S. Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina actually lost money in the Valley during the fourth quarter of 2003. Edwards visited the Valley on Sept. 26, and raised nearly all of the $17,900 he received from local residents at that event.
But Elizabeth Bernard of Canfield, the attorney who hosted the private event for Edwards, gave him $3,900, which exceeds the $2,000 maximum contribution an individual can give to a presidential campaign during the pre-primary season. Edwards refunded $1,950 of her contribution Oct. 20.
No one from the Valley gave Edwards any money during the fourth quarter.