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Democrat Ted Strickland has his strongest fundraising quarter in the race for a U.S. Senate seat
YOUNGSTOWN
Ex-Gov. Ted Strickland, the Democratic challenger for the U.S. Senate, had his strongest fundraising quarter – $1.5 million between January and March – in this campaign, but he continues to lag behind incumbent Republican Rob Portman.
In comparison, Portman raised $2.4 million during the same three months.
Since the beginning of 2015, Portman, one of the leading fundraisers in the Senate, has raised about $12.2 million for his re-election bid compared with $5.2 million for Strickland.
“The strong, grass-roots support our campaign is receiving is more proof that Ted’s message of fighting for working families is resonating with Ohioans,” Rebecca Pearcey, his campaign manager, said Friday.
She added, “Ohioans across the state are backing Ted because they know he’s a champion for working people – that’s where he’s from, that’s who he cares about, that’s who he’ll always put first in the Senate.”
Michawn Rich, Portman campaign spokeswoman, said, “As expected, Ted Strickland released another disappointing fundraising report on a Friday afternoon. No excuse can hide the fact that at the beginning of the campaign, Ted Strickland said he had a goal of raising $20 million and he’s on pace to raise half of that.”
As of March 31, Portman’s campaign reports having $13.5 million on hand – that includes $5.8 million he carried over from the end of 2014 – compared with $2.7 million for Strickland.
The $1.5 million collected in the first quarter of this year by Strickland was the most in a three-month period for this campaign, and included a March 22 fundraiser in Cincinnati headlined by Vice President Joe Biden. Strickland had a fundraiser Friday in Austintown.
Portman has out-raised Strickland in every quarter.
Despite Portman’s financial advantage, polls show the Senate race between the two is a statistical dead-heat.