Strickland returns funds to 8 political committees

Strickland has more in his fund than all those seeking to replace him combined.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland's congressional campaign returned $7,000 to eight political action committees because the contributions came in after he announced his gubernatorial candidacy.
The PAC money came to Strickland's congressional campaign June 8, a month after he announced he wouldn't run for re-election to the 6th District and instead would run for governor in 2006.
The congressional campaign returned the money July 31, according to campaign finance reports for the year's third quarter filed Saturday with the Federal Election Commission.
The gubernatorial campaign won't ask those PACs for the money, but Jess Goode, the campaign's spokesman, said if the organizations supported Strickland for Congress, they'll probably support him for governor.
State law doesn't permit elected federal candidates and officeholders to transfer money from their federal campaign to their state campaign.
Even with Strickland not accepting contributions for Congress, the $497,753.25 he had in that fund as of Sept. 30 is more than all the candidates seeking to replace him have in their congressional funds combined.
State Rep. Charles Blasdel of East Liverpool, the Ohio House Speaker pro tempore, a Republican candidate for the 6th Congressional District seat, raised $236,950, and had $218,327.35 on hand as of Sept. 30. About half of the money raised by Blasdel came from PACs, including those run by House Speaker Dennis Hastert and House Majority Whip Roy Blunt.
Other candidates
Other candidates running in the 2006 Republican primary for the seat, called the No. 1 open seat in the U.S. House by the National Republican Congressional Committee, include:
UTim Ginter of East Liverpool, who raised $27,272.14 and had $16,131.45 on hand as of Sept. 30.
UNoble County Commissioner Danny Harmon, who raised $12,371.91 and had $3,980.21 as of Sept. 30.
URichard Holt of Lawrence County, who raised $393.05 and had $260.99 on hand as of the end of the year's third quarter.
State Sen. Charles Wilson of St. Clairsville, a Democrat running for the congressional seat, has raised $220,591.19 for the campaign, and had $211,815.45 on hand as of Sept. 30.
U.S. Rep. Steven LaTourette of Concord, R-14th, continued to add to his campaign war chest during the third quarter. He reported $376,303.93 as of Sept. 30, about $50,000 more than he had at the end of the year's second quarter.
Cafaro
Capri S. Cafaro, his 2004 Democratic challenger who plans to run for the seat again next year, contributed $19,500 toward her campaign in the year's third quarter. For the 2006 campaign, Cafaro has contributed $141,059.53 toward her campaign.
During the 2004 campaign, LaTourette and Cafaro spent about $2 million each, making it the most expensive U.S. House race in Ohio. A large majority of that money came from Cafaro.
Cafaro, a member of one of the Mahoning Valley's richest families, is spending the money as quickly as it comes in. As of Sept. 30, she had $28.97 on hand. Most of the money she spent in the third quarter was for legal, political consulting and accounting fees.
She also paid a $1,000 alternative dispute resolution fee to the FEC.
In July 2004, The Vindicator reported that Cafaro's sister, Renee, of Liberty, contributed $21,653 to her sister's campaign, when she could give only $2,000 per election cycle. After the report, the Cafaro campaign acknowledged the mistake and the NRCC filed a complaint with the FEC.
Besides the $1,000, the FEC required Renee Cafaro and Ronald Silvestri, the campaign treasurer, to attend an FEC seminar.
U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, added more than $40,000 to his campaign fund during the year's third quarter. As of Sept. 30, Ryan had $175,412.52 in his campaign fund.
skolnick@vindy.com