Ryan, Johnson each raise $300K-plus in second quarter

YOUNGSTOWN

U.S. Reps. Bill Johnson and Tim Ryan, both without opponents so far for the 2018 election, posted strong second quarters, each raising more than $300,000 toward re-election efforts.

Johnson of Marietta, R-6th, raised $337,262 between April and June while Ryan of Howland, D-13th, received $319,125 in contributions during the same time period, according to their latest Federal Election Commission campaign-finance reports.

Included in Johnson’s total is $30,000 he loaned his campaign June 30, the last day of the filing quarter, despite having nearly $1 million in his fund without it.

When asked to explain Johnson’s $30,000 loan, Mark Weaver, a campaign spokesman for the Republican congressman, said, “We have internal goals to reach for fundraising, and this was one of them. We have goals each month and each quarter. He’s loaned money [to his campaign] before.”

Ryan, who would seek a ninth two-year term in Congress next year, spent $124,953 between April and June.

Among his biggest expenses were $23,500 to Veracity Media LLC of Washington, D.C., for digital strategy consulting expenses; $9,815 to Fraioli & Associates of Washington, D.C., for fundraising consulting fees and expenses; and $7,000 to Blue Point Group LLC, also of D.C., for a fundraising consulting fee.

Read more about the situation in Wednesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.