Few are running for office on the cheap

Mahoning County judicial candidates have spent nearly $500,000 so far.
VINDICATOR STAFF REPORT
YOUNGSTOWN -- Judicial candidates in Mahoning County have been pounding their war chests as they battle it out for seats on the county bench.
The four candidates for common pleas court positions combined have spent nearly $500,000 -- much of it their own money -- on the campaign trail between April 3 and Oct. 13, say reports filed Thursday with the county board of elections.
The most expensive race, by far, is for juvenile court, where Atty. Wade Smith Jr. has spent more than $185,700 in his bid to unseat incumbent Judge Theresa Dellick, who has spent $116,522 so far.
Candidates are required to file expense reports only if they have either raised or spent at least $1,000 before Oct. 13, election board staff said.
Smith's report shows that he took in more than $38,700 in contributions and that he loaned his campaign $153,800 of his own money.
Judge Dellick raised some $19,000 in contributions and helped fuel her campaign with loans of $24,500 of her own money.
Spending in the juvenile court race doubled what has been spent so far by Judge Maureen A. Sweeney, trying to retain the seat on the common pleas general division bench to which she was appointed in July, and Judge Elizabeth A. Kobly of Youngstown Municipal Court, who is trying to unseat Judge Sweeney.
Judge Sweeney has spent nearly $85,000, including a $75,000 loan from her husband, Thomas Yankle. Judge Kobly has been the conservative spender so far at $59,800. About half of that came in the form of loans, her report shows.
Judge David D'Apolito has spent $18,600 so far to retain his position in the county's area court system. His opponent, Atty. David Gerchak, did not file a campaign expense report before Thursday's 4 p.m. deadline.
Commissioners races
Anthony Traficanti and John A. McNally IV, Democratic candidates for Mahoning County commissioner, have spent more than $40,000 each in their races.
Traficanti's Republican opponent, Samuel Moffie, did not file a report before the deadline. McNally's Republican opponent, Patrick Strange, reported spending more than $1,000 although he has raised only $100.
In Trumbull County, incumbent Commissioner Daniel Polivka easily raised more money and outspent all other candidates seeking county office.
Since April 3, Polivka has added more than $30,000 to his campaign chest, mostly in small donations. And he has spent nearly $15,000 as he continues to campaign to retain a seat he won by Democratic party appointment in January.
By contrast, Polivka's Republican rival, Philip DeCapito, has raised only $4,630 in the same period. DeCapito has spent $3,509 of that, plus run up his credit cards with another $4,447 in campaign-related expenses.
Polivka showed the same fund-raising dominance in the Democratic primary, where he outspent his nearest rival 2-to-1, using primarily his own money. He has lent his campaign about $36,000 since 2003.
Candidates for the other commissioner's seat have been much more restrained in their spending.
Since winning the Democratic Party's nomination for the seat held by Commissioner Joseph J. Angelo Jr., Paul Heltzel has spent $3,024 on his campaign and collected no contributions.
His Republican rival, Michael Colello, has taken $3,516 in contributions and spent $2,913.
In Columbiana County, State Rep. Charles Blasdel of East Liverpool, R-1st, was the biggest fund-raiser. He added $77,750 to his war chest and spent $68,339.
Much of his money came from political action committees ranging from banking to dentistry.
His opponent, newcomer Frank Rayle, did not file a report at the Columbiana County Board of Elections but could have filed it electronically with the Ohio Secretary of State's Office.
Spending was roughly equal in most races. Several veteran officials are unopposed and didn't make or spend $1,000.