Incumbents swamping rivals in money race
WASHINGTON — Ohio’s congressional delegation has nearly $18 million in the bank more than a year out from the 2018 congressional mid-terms — nearly 50 times the amount that challengers have raised during that period.
But three congressional newcomers — including one Republican who hopes to fill the seat vacated by U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci, who is running for governor — have dominated the other challengers, raising $349,433 combined.
Of the three, the most notable fundraising haul came in northeast Ohio, where Avon Democrat Ken Harbaugh outraised his fourterm Republican opponent, Rep. Bob Gibbs, R-Lakeville, by nearly $75,000 last quarter. Harbaugh announced his plan to run June 1. He had $141,924 in the bank as of June 30 and has taken in $191,478 to date in this campaign, receiving money from more than 650 individual donors last quarter, according to his campaign.
By contrast, Gibbs has $1.09 million in his campaign war chest, mostly overflow from prior races. Gibbs has raised $192,006 to date this campaign, including $116,906 last quarter.
Gibbs won his district, which includes all or parts of 10 counties, including the city of Canton, with 64 percent of the vote in 2016 and was unopposed in 2014.
Also in northeast Ohio, state Rep. Christina Hagan, R-Marlboro Township, had $127,037 in the bank as of June 30. Aaron Godfrey, a Westlake Democrat, has $1,545 on hand to date. Both are seeking the seat now held by Renacci, a Republican from Wadsworth.
And Democrat Betsy Rader of Russell Township has raised $132,166 in her bid to unseat Rep. David Joyce, R-Bainbridge Township. She has $80,472 on hand. Joyce has a war chest of $389,582, raised $169,846 last quarter and has obtained $317,487 to date this campaign. Joyce won in 2016 with nearly 63 percent of the vote.
Much of the incumbents’ edge comes from Rep. Pat Tiberi, R-Genoa Township, who has a whopping $6.5 million in the bank. Tiberi had flirted with a Senate bid before deciding to remain in the House, where he is a member of the powerful tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee.
Tiberi picked up $440,962 last quarter and has generated $1.86 million to date this campaign. The most recent filing from his sole opponent, Democrat Brandon Grisez, had not been posted as of Monday. But as of March 31, Grisez had raised $2,580 and had $169 in the bank.
Rep. Steve Stivers, R-Upper Arlington, acquired $609,968 between April 1 and June 30, and another $1.2 million for the campaign cycle as of June 30. He had nearly $1.34 million in the bank. No opponent has raised or spent the $5,000 necessary to file a campaign finance report with the Federal Election Commission.
Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Jefferson Township, had a $926,305 campaign balance, adding $121,145 between April 1 and June 30 and $247,085 to date this cycle. Democrat Charles W. Sanders of Waynesville, who raised $949 during the first quarter, has yet to file a campaign report for the quarter ending June 30.