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Candidates release finance reports
By DAVID SKOLNICK
YOUNGSTOWN
If money and incumbency are key factors in winning elections — and they typically are — the five U.S. House members representing the Mahoning and Shenango valleys are in good shape, at least for now.
The incumbents all had significantly more money in their campaign-finance reports than their challengers as of March 31, according to recent filings with the Federal Election Commission.
During the first three months of the year, U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, raised $114,537.52, including $74,800 from political action committees, and spent $140,973.38.
Because of money his campaign carried over from previous years, Ryan had $227,573.56 in his fund as of March 31. That amount is significantly less than the area’s four other sitting members of Congress.
But it’s by far the most of any candidate running in the 17th District, which includes portions of Mahoning, Trumbull, Portage and Summit counties.
Ryan’s two Democratic challengers, Dan Moadus of Girard and Robert Crow of Youngstown, in the May 4 primary didn’t file reports with the FEC.
A congressional candidate needs to raise at least $5,000 before filing a campaign finance report with the agency.
In the 17th District’s Republican primary, M.E. “Bing” Henderson of Tallmadge raised $13,390 during the first three quarters of the year. Of that amount, Henderson contributed $5,000. After expenses, he had $1,360.21 as of March 31.
Jim Graham of Cortland, the other Republican in the race, raised $5,696 and had $4,577.17 left in his fund as of March 31.
In the 6th District, U.S. Rep. Charlie Wilson, a Democrat from St. Clairsville, raised $110,736, including $80,250 from PACs, during the first three months of the year. Wilson had $515,862.02 in his campaign fund as of March 31.
Wilson faces Jim Renner in North Benton in the Democratic primary, and there are three Republicans vying for that party’s nomination.
Of those four candidates only Republican Donald Allen of Boardman filed a report with the FEC. He raised $30,985.50, with $20,000 coming from him, during the first three months of the year. He had $17,671.89 as of March 31.
The 12-county 6th District includes all of Columbiana County and a portion of Mahoning County.
In the 14th District, U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette of Bainbridge is running unopposed in the Republican primary. He raised $114,072.53 during the first three months, and had a $499,849.76 campaign fund as of March 31.
Three Democrats are running in the May 4 primary with the winner facing LaTourette in the November general election.
Only Bill O’Neill of Chagrin Falls, a former judge with the Warren-based 11th District Court of Appeals, filed a finance report among those Democrats. O’Neill raised $12,315, spent $1,650 and had $10,664.82 as of March 31.
The district includes seven northern townships in Trumbull County.
In Pennsylvania, U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire of McCand- less, D-4th, raised $280,555.17, including $279,589 from PACs, during the first three month, and had $1,189,299.99 in his campaign fund as of March 31. He is running unopposed in the Democratic primary. Pennsylvania’s primary is May 18.
Two Republicans are running in their party’s primary in the 4th District. Former U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan raised $118,420.35, including a $50,000 contribution she gave the campaign, and had $101,911.48 after the first three months of the year. Keith Rothfus, an attorney, also gave $50,000 to his campaign. He raised $134,711.04 during the first quarter, and had $132,281.77 as of March 31.
The district includes all of Lawrence County and a portion of Mercer County.
U.S. Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper of Erie, D-3rd, raised $268,962.12 in the year’s first quarter and had $855,913.58 in her campaign fund as of March 31. Mel M. Marin, her Democratic opponent, didn’t file a finance report with the FEC.
There are six Republicans running in that party’s primary. The three Republicans in that race who filed reports are:
Retired businessman Paul L. Huber, who contributed $250,000 to his campaign, and had $298,208.66 in his campaign fund; Mike Kelly, an automotive dealership owner, who contributed $165,000 of his own money to his campaign and had $189,894.97 in his fund; Ed Franz, a General Electric employee, who gave $8,500 to his campaign, and had $3,942.51 in his fund as of March 31.
The 3rd District includes a portion of Mercer County.