McKelvey spent a lot in losing bid

A state rep candidate outraised the five others in the primary combined.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Ex-Youngstown Mayor George M. McKelvey spent more than $80,000 to receive less than 30 percent of the vote in his failed challenge to defeat Mahoning County Commissioner David Ludt.
While McKelvey got 10,958 votes for the money he spent, Ludt, of Poland received 25,695 votes for about $48,000 in his May 2 primary victory.
McKelvey spent more than $7 for each of his votes compared with less than $2 a vote for Ludt, seeking his third four-year term as commissioner.
McKelvey and Ludt didn't show much financial activity in pre-primary campaign reports, which took in financial activity between Jan. 1 and April 12.
Friday was the deadline to file post-primary campaign reports for the time frame of April 13 to June 2. That was when McKelvey and Ludt raised and spent a bulk of their campaign funds.
During that time, McKelvey raised $71,350, and spent $77,828 He carried over $9,948 from the pre-primary time period.
Much of McKelvey's money came from those living outside Mahoning County.
McKelvey received $20,000 from three officials with an Erie, Pa., real estate firm as well as $3,500 from an official with a Pittsburgh real estate company, and $9,500 from a person listed on the former mayor's campaign report as living in Xiamen, China.
In comparison, Ludt raised $18,885 in the post-primary period, most of it from county residents. Ludt also lent $21,750 to his campaign and his sister lent $2,000 to the campaign.
McKelvey lent $10,000 to his campaign. But his financial disclosure report shows the ex-mayor took $10,000 from his campaign Thursday and repaid his loan.
The two of them spent most of their money to air television and radio commercials.
Ludt faces Jamael Tito Brown, a Youngstown school board member running as an independent, in the November general election.
Other races
Campaign finance reports show state Sen. Robert F. Hagan of Youngstown raised more money from Jan. 1 to June 2 than the five other Democrats running in the primary for the 60th Ohio House District seat combined.
Hagan won the primary with 37.6 percent of the vote. He faces no opponent in the general election.
Hagan spent about $36,000 on the race, compared with about $44,000 from the five others combined. Struthers Councilman Dan Yemma, who finished in second place in the primary, spent about $26,000 of that $44,000 amount.
Not finished
Hagan's campaign filed his financial reports a few minutes before the 4 p.m. Friday deadline. The campaign wouldn't have filed Friday if a Vindicator reporter didn't contact Hagan as the deadline approached and inquired why the candidate's report wasn't filed.
The report filed Friday is about 90 percent complete, Hagan said, because the campaign thought the filing deadline was next week. The campaign will file an amended report shortly with complete figures, Hagan said.
As for the Mahoning Valley candidates running statewide, U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland of Lisbon, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate, has $2.61 million in his campaign fund as of June 2. In comparison, Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell, the Republican nominee for the seat, has $1.31 million.
Blackwell's primary opponent, Attorney General Jim Petro, forced the Republican nominee to spend more money than Strickland, who easily defeated ex-state Rep. Bryan Flannery in the Democratic primary. Blackwell spent $1.26 million during the post-primary period, compared with $521,600 for Strickland.
The competitive primary probably also helped Blackwell raise more money. As of June 2, Blackwell had raised $6.6 million for the election compared with $6.2 million for Strickland.
State Sen. Marc Dann of Liberty, the Democratic nominee for attorney general, had $278,377 in his campaign fund as of June 2. He raised $290,814 and received $67,392 in in-kind contributions during the post-primary period.
In comparison, Ohio Auditor Betty Montgomery, the Republican AG candidate, had $1.57 million in her campaign fund as of June 2. Her campaign raised $166,896 during the post-primary period.
Dann said he is satisfied with his fundraising to this point, and his campaign will have enough money for him to deliver his message to voters.
skolnick@vindy.com