Dems lead campaign cash dash

Ohio’s race for governor will be the most expensive ever.

And in a rarity for the Buckeye State, Democratic candidates continue to raise more money monthly than their Republican opponents in every statewide campaign for an executive office.

In the governor’s race, however, total fundraising figures show that Republican Mike DeWine, with $24.3 million, still outpaces Democrat Richard Cordray, who has $13.8 million. The governor’s race has now raised a combined total of $38.1 million.

That number well exceeds the record $30.4 million spent in 2010 as Republican John Kasich ousted Democrat Ted Strickland from the governor’s office for the first of Kasich’s two terms.

September campaignfundraising totals were due to be filed by statewide candidates in the Secretary of State’s office by Wednesday.

As if Ohioans have not seen enough campaign commercials, the TV spots bought by that campaign cash will explode ahead of the Nov. 6 election — and not just in the gubernatorial race.

Cordray raised $2.6 million for his campaign in September, well ahead of Attorney General DeWine’s $2 million. The Democrat’s amount included $335,000 in in-kind spending from the Ohio Democratic Party; DeWine received no party money during the month.

Cordray, a former attorney general and federal consumer watchdog, reported receiving 15,998 contributions averaging about $140 each. DeWine listed 1,765 donations averaging nearly $1,100 each.