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Congressional candidates detail spending, contributors for first six weeks of 2012
YOUNGSTOWN
Preparing for his re-election effort, freshman U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson raised $236,775 during the first month and a half of the year.
Bucking a trend for incumbents, Johnson of Marietta, R-6th, raised a majority of his money, $212,285, from individual donors — with several contributors listed as corporate executives — compared with $24,489 from political action committees between Jan. 1 and Feb. 15. The remaining 64 cents was interest on his campaign bank account.
Johnson spent $62,835 during the pre-primary reporting period. With the money he carried over from 2011, Johnson had $574,146 in his campaign fund as of Feb. 15.
Candidates who received or spent at least $5,000 had until midnight Thursday to file year-end reports with the Federal Election Commission.
Also, the FEC requires candidates running in Ohio’s March 6 primary to file all contributions of at least $1,000 with the agency through the Internet no later than 48 hours after receiving them between Feb. 16 and March 3. Candidates aren’t required to disclose expenditures for that time period.
As of late Friday, Johnson’s campaign reported $51,000 in additional contributions between Feb. 16 and Thursday with all but $4,500 coming from PACs and a $10,000 donation from the Ohio Republican Party.
Candidates don’t have to file with the FEC if they haven’t spent or raised at least $5,000.
Victor Smith of Waterford, Johnson’s Republican primary opponent, hasn’t filed with the FEC.
On the Democratic side, ex-U.S. Rep. Charlie Wilson of St. Clairsville raised $48,977 with $33,585 coming from PACs between Jan. 1 and Feb. 15. He spent $43,374, almost as much as he raised, and had $172,656 in his campaign fund as of Feb. 15.
Wilson, who lost to Johnson in 2010, also received $6,000 in additional contributions as of late Friday.
Cas Adulewicz of Steubenville, the other Democrat running in the 6th District, hasn’t filed a report with the FEC.
The 6th District includes all of Columbiana County and the southern portion of Mahoning County as well as all or part of 15 other counties.
In the new 13th District, which consists of much of the existing 17th, incumbent U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, a Democrat from Niles, spent more than he raised between Jan. 1 and Feb. 15.
Ryan received $26,750 with $18,000 coming from PACs and spent $47,250 during that time frame.
As of Feb. 15, Ryan had $186,746 in his campaign fund because of money he carried over from last year.
He also picked up $10,500 in contributions since Feb. 16.
In comparison, Marisha Agana, a Republican from Howland, raised $5,454 with none from PACs and spent $4,944 between Jan. 1 and Feb. 15. As of that latter date, Agana had $3,065 in her campaign fund.
The new 13th District lines, which take effect after this election, include most of Mahoning and Trumbull counties plus portions of three other counties, Portage, Summit and Stark.