U.S. Senate hopefuls to submit fund reports

COLUMBUS (AP) — Candidates hoping to replace retiring U.S. Sen. George Voinovich of Ohio in 2010 are touting their early fund-raising efforts, days before they must submit first-quarter figures to federal officials.

Campaign finance reports for the quarter ending March 31 are due by Wednesday to the Federal Elections Commission.

Republican former congressman Rob Portman said Saturday that he has raised more than $1.7 million since kicking off his campaign in January. Portman has more than $3 million to spend, including money transferred from his congressional campaign account, according to his campaign.

So far, he has no major opponent within his party, leaving him free of one challenge facing Democrats Lee Fisher and Jennifer Brunner as they seek their party’s nomination in what is likely to be a hard-fought primary.

Fisher, the lieutenant governor, and Brunner, the secretary of state, entered the race Feb. 17 and already are battling for some of the same donors and dollars, joined by state Rep. Tyrone Yates of Cincinnati, who also has said he will seek the seat.

Fisher said last week that he has raised more than $1 million, though his campaign would not give an exact total or say how much it hopes to raise.

Brunner has declined to reveal her first-quarter total but has said she hopes to raise between $3 million and $5 million for the primary.

She leads Fisher in fundraising on one Web site that accepts contributions from Democratic donors nationwide — she has collected $64,000 to his $52,000 — but she is not expected to match Fisher overall.

Both are sure to need millions of dollars to sustain a yearlong campaign leading up to the primary, not to mention the funding the winner will subsequently need for the general election. Democrat Sherrod Brown spent at least $10 million in 2006 to oust incumbent Republican Sen. Mike DeWine, who spent more than $15 million.

Brunner said she plans to increase her fund-raising efforts and wants to avoid dividing the party early on by pushing politicians to support her.

Some Democrats already are choosing sides. Gov. Ted Strickland threw his support behind Fisher. Among Brunner’s supporters is Caroline Kennedy, who held a New York fundraiser for her.

Voinovich, who’s in his early 70s, announced in January he wouldn’t seek re-election. He said that challenges facing Ohio and the country will require him to devote all his energy to serving out his current term and that campaigning and fundraising would take time away from his work.

Voinovich discounted speculation that his decision not to run was made amid a political environment in Ohio that had turned against the GOP. He’s considered a moderate whose support of the federal bailout for the auto industry put him at odds with a significant portion of the GOP caucus.