14TH DISTRICT Candidates fight in race to raise campaign funds

The Democrat funded 89 percent of her nearly $2 million campaign.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette insists he cannot match Capri Cafaro, his wealthy Democratic challenger for the 14th Congressional District seat, dollar for dollar in his re-election bid.
But an influx of $79,500 in contributions from Oct. 14 to Wednesday pushed LaTourette's contribution total to $1,895,930, or $26,322 more than Cafaro raised through Wednesday.
The 14th District race continues to be the most expensive congressional contest in Ohio. The district includes seven northern townships in Trumbull County.
Cafaro and LaTourette raised twice as much money than candidates in any other House race in the state. House candidates had to file pre-general election campaign reports Thursday with the Federal Election Commission. The reports show how much money campaigns have spent and raised through Oct. 13. Those reports show LaTourette, a Concord Township Republican, with $1,816,430, and Cafaro, of Hunting Valley and formerly of Liberty, with $1,865,108.
But those reports don't tell the entire financial story.
House candidates are also required to notify the FEC of any contributions they receive between Oct. 14 and Nov. 2 of at least $1,000 no later than 48 hours after getting the money, an agency spokesman said. Candidates aren't required to disclose to the FEC the amount of money they spend after Oct. 13 leading up to the Nov. 2 election. That amount is listed on their post-general election reports, filed no later than Dec. 2 with the FEC.
Between Oct. 14 and Wednesday, LaTourette raised $79,500, compared with $4,500 raised by Cafaro.
Money for campaigns
LaTourette has never given his own money to his campaign. In comparison, Cafaro, a member of one of the wealthiest and best-known families in the Mahoning Valley, pumped $1,658,760 of her own money into the campaign. That's 89 percent of the money collected for her election bid.
The financial battle in the other congressional districts that take in the Mahoning and Shenango valleys shows a huge difference between the incumbents and challengers.
U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, received $21,000 in contributions between Oct. 14 and Wednesday. That's almost twice as much as Frank Cusimano of Howland, his Republican challenger, raised for his campaign. For this campaign, Ryan has raised more than $500,000 total.
U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland of Lisbon, D-6th, who is running unopposed, raised $447,895 for his campaign through Wednesday.
In Pennsylvania's 3rd District, U.S. Rep. Phil English, a Erie Republican, raised about $1.18 million. Steven Porter of Wattsburg, his Democratic opponent, raised $229,726. Of that amount, Porter contributed $177,492 of his own money.
In the state's 4th District, U.S. Rep. Melissa Hart, a Bradford Woods Republican, raised $1.35 million. Her two challengers, Democrat Stevan Drobac Jr. of Center Township, and Steven B. Larchuk of Sewickley, the Healthcare Party candidate, haven't raised $50,000 combined.
skolnick@vindy.com