Governor hopefuls bank $12M for fall

April 23, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

The two leading candidates for governor have a combined $12 million in the bank as they head into what promises to be an expensive fall campaign.

Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, a Democrat, reported more than $7.12 million cash on hand after raising nearly $1.5 million in new donations for the first quarter of the year.

Former U.S. Rep. John Kasich, his Republican rival, reported outraising Strickland for the period, adding more than $2 million in new donations for a total of $5.2 million in the bank.

Kasich wasn’t the only Republican to raise significant funds against a sitting opponent.

State Rep. Josh Mandel took his cash on hand to more than $2 million in his bid to unseat state Treasurer Kevin Boyce. Mandel reported raising more than $318,000 for the period. Boyce’s totals weren’t yet available.

For two open seats for statewide office, Democrats raised more than their GOP rivals.

Democrat Maryellen O’Shaughnessy, a relative newcomer in her bid for secretary of state, raised more than Republican state Sen. Jon Husted for the period — $294,000 to $196,000. But Husted has banked more than $2 million compared to O’Shaughnessy’s $266,000 to date. Husted’s rival in the Republican primary, 2006 state treasurer candidate Sandra O’Brien, raised just $2,300 for the period. She reported $331 in the bank.

Fundraising reports did little to predict a winner in the high-profile Republican primary for the open state auditor’s seat that’s attracted the attention of the tea party movement.

Incumbent Republicans on the Ohio Supreme Court outraised their Democratic opponents.