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Brunner: I’ll win because I’ll work harder than Fisher
Photo
Jennifer Brunner
NILES — Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner said she isn’t concerned about the lack of campaign contributions she’s receiving in her bid to be the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate.
That’s because Brunner said she’ll win the May primary by working harder than Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher, the other Democratic candidate for Senate.
During a stop Thursday at Vernon’s Cafe in Niles, Brunner was evasive and factually incorrect about her Senate campaign-finance fund.
Brunner said she raised around $100,000 during the final three months of 2009.
She told The Vindicator that she didn’t have the “exact number” because, “I didn’t see the report before it went to Washington, D.C.” to the Federal Election Commission.
When asked if she spent more money than she raised during the last three months of 2009, Brunner said, “I don’t think we did this time, no. We run lean and mean.”
Brunner refused to say how much money was left in her campaign fund.
“This campaign is not about money,” she said. “It’s about people because people vote. When money votes, it’s a really scary outcome.”
An FEC spokeswoman said during the last three months of 2009, Brunner raised $94,998 and spent $146,034. As of Dec. 31, Brunner’s Senate campaign had $60,859 on hand.
In comparison, Fisher has raised $3.35 million for his campaign and had $1.8 million as of Dec. 31.
Fisher raised $769,581 in the final three months of the year. That’s more than the $677,659 that Brunner raised all of last year for her campaign.
Fisher’s campaign declined Thursday to comment on Brunner’s campaign finances.
But Fisher told The Vindicator last month that “having the financial resources to get your message out statewide is important.”
Despite the monetary difference, polls show Brunner and Fisher in a statistical dead heat.
Brunner said this primary is not a “traditional type of campaign where you throw a bunch of money at TV commercials and radio commercials. It’s a little bit like carrying water in a sieve.”
That’s because turnout isn’t expected to be high for the primary, and it’s a waste of money to pay to air commercials to people who aren’t “interested in your race,” she said.
In comparison, Rob Portman, a Republican candidate for the Senate seat, has raised $7.5 million and had $6 million in his fund as of Dec. 31.
Tom Ganley, the other Republican candidate for Senate, is running a largely self-funded campaign, providing $1.6 million of his own money as of Dec. 31.
While in Niles, Brunner received endorsements from a number of Mahoning Valley politicians.
Trumbull County Democratic Party Chairman Christ Michelakis, the former county treasurer, and Niles Mayor Ralph A. Infante, the party’s vice chairman, are supporting Brunner.
She also received endorsements Thursday from: Trumbull County Commissioner Dan Polivka, county Engineer David DeChristofaro, Girard Mayor James Melfi, Warren Law Director Gregory Hicks and Youngstown 6th Ward Councilwoman Janet Tarpley.
Brunner also called Thursday for federal legislation to support the development of specialized work-force training programs that link two-year colleges and regional trade programs to suit local needs.
She said the program is “tailor-made to help the Mahoning Valley.”
skolnick@vindy.com