14TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT Wealth helps two Democrats boost war chests

Wealthy candidates face no limits on how much they can give their campaigns.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Two Democrats vying to win the 14th Congressional District primary have contributed nearly $450,000 combined of their own money on the race.
Both candidates -- Capri Cafaro of Liberty and Herb Hammer of Chagrin Falls -- are running for political office for the first time. They are among five Democrats running in the 14th Congressional District primary March 2. The winner takes on U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette, who has $500,874 in his campaign fund and no primary opponent.
Cafaro has given $249,092 of her own money to her campaign; most of it during the past three weeks, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission. She received $9,550 from contributors.
Campaign reports
Candidates running in Ohio's March 2 primary had to file preprimary campaign reports with the FEC before Friday for the time period from Jan. 1 to Feb. 11.
The FEC also requires these candidates to file statements with the federal agency within 48 hours of receiving contributions of at least $1,000 after Feb. 11 through March 2.
But the FEC doesn't require candidates to list how they spend the money they receive after Feb. 11. That information will be available April 15, the next federal filing deadline.
On Thursday alone, Cafaro gave $77,500 to her campaign.
Her spending
Cafaro spent $47,693 between Jan. 1 and Feb. 11, with the biggest expenses being $13,792 on printing and office supplies, $6,000 for campaign signs, and $5,900 for polling.
Cafaro lists her occupation on FEC documents as a self-employed public relations consultant.
She is the daughter of J.J. Cafaro, an executive with the Cafaro Co., and is the former president of USAerospace Group, the Virginia technology company that was a part of the corruption trial of imprisoned ex-U.S. Rep. James A. Traficant Jr.
Capri Cafaro had planned to challenge Traficant in the 2002 congressional race before the congressman's indictment. Cafaro's father pleaded guilty to a felony count of conspiring to provide an unlawful gratuity to Traficant in exchange for the then-congressman's promoting USAerospace's technology.
Hammer's contributions
Hammer, a business owner, contributed $190,000 to his campaign, including $50,000 on Jan. 29. Like Cafaro, Hammer's campaign is mostly self-funded. He raised $4,850 from contributors.
Hammer spent $163,647 on his campaign, including $116,816 during the first six weeks of this year.
Hammer allocated $90,000 of the money he's spent for media advertising. He's also paid $9,838 to two Columbus companies to handle his media advertising purchases.
Self-funded political campaigns by wealthy people are becoming more prevalent, said William Binning, chairman of Youngstown State University's political science department. He points to U.S. Sen. Jon Corzine of New Jersey, a Democrat, and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a Republican, as two examples.
"Getting elected to office is like a trophy thing; it's like a new 'Jag,'" he said. "It's becoming quite common."
But wealthy candidates have met with mixed results, he said.
"It's an advantage to have lots of money to run for Congress because you're not restricted as to how much you can give your campaign," Binning said. "If you don't have lots of personal wealth, you have to raise money from contributors, who can only give a maximum of $2,000 in each election cycle."
Ohio Rep. Ed Jerse
In comparison to Cafaro and Hammer, state Rep. Ed Jerse of Euclid, the only Democrat in the race to ever hold political office, has given $306 to his campaign.
Jerse has raised $46,066 overall, including $23,235 during the first six weeks of the year. He has spent $18,355 on his campaign, about half of it between Jan. 1 and Feb. 11. His biggest expense during the first six weeks of the year is $4,500 to KG Associates Inc., a Cleveland company serving as his campaign consultant.
The two other Democratic candidates in the race -- Charles Wolfe of Brookfield and Dale V. Blanchard of Solon -- did not file pre-primary reports.
The 14th Congressional District includes seven northern townships in Trumbull County, all of Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula counties, and portions of Cuyahoga, Summit and Portage counties.
Niles' Ryan
In the 17th District, U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, a Niles Democrat, added to his campaign war chest during the year's first six months. Ryan, who has no primary opponent, had $105,084 on hand as of Feb. 11. Frank V. Cusimano of Howland, a political newcomer, is his Republican opponent in the November general election. Cusimano hasn't filed a campaign finance report with the FEC.
Ryan took in $28,335 during the first six weeks of the year, and $4,000 on Wednesday and Thursday.
He spent $20,860 from Jan. 1 to Feb. 11, with $10,397 going for fund-raising consulting fees to Fraioli and Associates of Washington, D.C., operated by Michael Fraioli, Ryan's campaign treasurer. Julie Stitzel, Ryan's wife and deputy campaign treasurer, continues to be the only person on the campaign's salary. She received $1,387 on Jan. 15.
U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland
In the 6th District, U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland, a Lisbon Democrat, increased his campaign fund. As of Feb. 11, Strickland had $314,529 in the fund, and added $4,000 since then.
Strickland spent $6,445 during the year's first six weeks, including $5,100 to a Kentucky company for "software license" and $1,106 to a Washington, D.C., American Legion post for a fund raiser.
Diane DiCarlo Murphy of Beaver Township, Strickland's Democratic primary opponent, didn't file a report. But she has said she would spend $3,000 of her own money on the campaign, and not take any contributions.
skolnick@vindy.com