Boccieri raises $385,248 in ’07 for Congress race

U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan raised close to $800,000 in
contributions last year.

By DAVID SKOLNICK

VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER

If money is a good indicator of a successful political campaign — and it usually is — state Sen. John Boccieri has an advantage over the competition for the open 16th Congressional District seat.

And if you follow that credo, the campaigns of U.S. Reps. Tim Ryan, D-17th, and Charlie Wilson, D-6th, are extremely comfortable. Both have six-digit campaign funds, neither faces primary challenges March 4, and their Republican opponents haven’t filed reports.

Candidates don’t have to file financial reports until they’ve raised or spent $5,000, according to a Federal Election Commission spokesman.

Boccieri, a New Middletown Democrat, raised $385,248 in 2007, including $110,789 in the final three months of last year, according to FEC filings.

Of the total amount he raised last year, 53 percent came from political action committees, including those that represent airline pilots — Boccieri is an Air Force Reserve pilot — boilermakers and blacksmiths, electrical workers, engineers, carpenters, firefighters and mine workers.

After expenses, Boccieri had $308,719 cash on hand as of Dec. 31.

Canton Councilwoman at large Mary M. Cirelli, Boccieri’s primary opponent, didn’t file a report.

The Fix, The Washington Post’s political blog, lists the 16th District — held by the retiring U.S. Rep. Ralph Regula, a Navarre Republican, since 1973 — as No. 1 on its list of seats most likely to change political party control in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The district includes all of Stark and Wayne counties and portions of Medina and Ashland counties. Boccieri’s state Senate seat includes a small portion of Stark.

The top fundraiser among the three Republican candidates seeking to replace Regula is state Sen. J. Kirk Schuring of Canton. He raised $269,375 last year, including $75,445 in the final three months.

Schuring raised $19,700 last year from PACs, less than 10 percent of Boccieri’s total. But the Republican raised more money from individuals than did Boccieri, $249,470 to $180,588.

Schuring had $154,104 cash on hand as of Dec. 31.

What’s the difference between an aspiring congressman and an incumbent who sits on the Appropriations Committee?

About $400,000 or so.

Ryan, of Niles, raised $797,359 in 2007 and after expenses, finished the year with $357,104 in his campaign fund.

Republican Duane V. Grassell of Mogadore, who faces Ryan in the November election, didn’t file a finance report with the FEC.

Ryan shared the wealth. He contributed $100,000 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in December, and $10,000 to the Ohio Democratic Party in November.

Wilson, of St. Clairsville, seeking his second term this year, received $402,424 in contributions last year, and ended 2007 with $294,646 in his campaign fund.

Wilson heavily relied on PAC money, with 78 percent of his campaign contributions coming from such committees. For Ryan, PACs made up 38 percent of his total contributions.

Ryan’s district includes portions of Mahoning, Trumbull, Portage and Stark counties. Wilson’s 12-county district includes all of Columbiana and a portion of Mahoning counties.

In Pennsylvania’s 4th Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire, a McCandless Democrat elected for the first time in 2006, raised $1.21 million last year with about 64 percent of his contributions coming from PACs.

Melissa Hart of Bradford Woods, Pa., a Republican who lost her House seat to Altmire, raised $388,622 last year with about 48 percent of her contributions given by PACs.

As of Dec. 31, Altmire’s congressional fund had $911,488 compared with $332,342 for Hart.

The district includes all of Lawrence County and a portion of Mercer County.

skolnick@vindy.com