Rep. Johnson raises more than $300K for re-election bid during 2nd quarter

YOUNGSTOWN — Without an opponent so far, U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson has raised $532,917 toward his re-election bid – likely making potential challengers think twice about getting in the race.

Of that amount, Johnson, of Marietta, R-6th, collected $302,878 between April and June, according to his latest Federal Election Commission campaign-finance filing.

About two-thirds of the money in the second quarter came from political action committees, including $5,000 each from the American Association of Clinical Urologists, Carpenters Legislative Improvement Committee, Laborers’ International Union of North America, National Cable & Telecommunications Association and United Services Automobile Association.

Also, 33 other PACs contributed at least $2,500 in the last quarter to the campaign of Johnson, who will seek his fourth two-year term in the U.S. House next year.

Johnson’s campaign spent $87,616 spent in the second quarter, including repaying a $6,000 loan April 24 that he gave his campaign March 28.

Including money Johnson carried over from 2014, he had $716,069 in his campaign fund as of June 30.

For the complete story, read Friday's Vindicator and Vindy.com