Republican challenger raises more quarterly campaign money than Rep. John Boccieri
Former Wadsworth Mayor Jim Renacci – a Republican who is running for Congress against freshman Democratic Rep. John Boccieri of Alliance, raised $203,838 for his campaign since July, and had nearly all of it in the bank at the end of September, newly filed Federal Election Commission Reports show.
Renacci – a businessman who co-owns the Columbus Destroyers Arena Football League team – collected donations from Ohio business leaders including multiple members of Canton’s Timken family, former Rubbermaid and Goodyear CEO Stanley C. Gault and Forest City Enterprise chairman Sam Miller. He also got $2,400 from Denver Nuggets basketball coach George Karl.
Boccieri raised $186,186 during the quarter from donors including car dealers Alan Spitzer and Chuck Eddy. His campaign had $601,661 in the bank.
Boccieri said he’s been more focused on congressional business than campaign fundraising, and Renacci’s report shows he’s close to lots of wealthy executives.
“I don’t run in those circles,” said Boccieri. “I am focused on kitchen table issues like creating jobs in Northeast Ohio and helping folks hold onto their pensions.”
Renacci’s campaign did not respond to an email this afternoon and its website does not list a telephone number.
Republican challenger Steve Stivers also raised slightly more money than freshman Democratic Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy of Columbus: $274,650 to $242,407. But Kilroy finished the quarter with more money in the bank than Stivers, $497,097 compared with $266,059. Her campaign owed $150,152 in debts and loans, while Stivers’ campaign is debt-free. Stivers lost a close race to Kilroy in 2008.
In another rematch from 2008, this time around Cincinnati, incumbent Democratic Rep. Steve Driehaus raised $174,475 in the quarter and finished with $557,365 on hand. His GOP opponent, former congressman Steve Chabot, collected $144,025 and finished with $504,670.
None of the Republicans vying to take on Dover Democratic Rep. Zack Space approached the $259,117 the incumbent collected in the quarter. Space finished off with close to $1 million in the bank. His contributors included former Democratic Presidential nominee Michael S. Dukakis, who gave $500.
In the GOP field, State Sen. Bob Gibbs of Lakeville collected $115,095 and ended the quarter with $112,932 on hand, while cattle rancher Fred Dailey, who lost to Space in 2008, gave his own campaign a $25,000 donation which accounted for the bulk of the $44,772 he raised. Dailey’s campaign had $71,016 in the bank. Attorney Jeanette Moll collected $30,761 and ended up with $70,408 in her treasury.
More tidbits from campaign finance from reports filed Thursday:
Cleveland Democrat Dennis Kucinich raised nearly $100,000 in the quarter, most of it in amounts too small to be independently listed in the report. His large ticket donors include actress Alexandra Paul, who played Lt. Stephanie Holden in the television show “Baywatch.” She gave Kucinich $500. Only two of Kucinich’s named donors reside in Ohio.
House GOP Leader John Boehner raised $585,120 and turned $535,000 of it over to the National Republican Congressional Committee, which coordinates GOP election efforts in the House of Representatives.
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