Democratic U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan and Republican car dealer Bernie Moreno emerged this week as the top fundraisers in the latest quarter of the crowded Ohio Senate race.
But with their hauls came a slew of donations from outside the Buckeye State, previewing the national connections that the election will draw as both parties clamor for control in Washington.
Moreno raised $2.24 million in the second quarter of the year largely through individual donations and without a boost from his own money. The sole contribution from a political action committee was $5,000 from Florida Sen. Marco Rubio's Reclaim America PAC.
Ryan, meanwhile, brought in nearly $2.1 million and another $202,000 through his congressional campaign, which he used for fundraising before he established the Senate account. He also transferred over $1 million from his congressional account, giving him an influx of cash heading into the next quarter.
Moreno's campaign attracted hundreds of donors from Ohio – most of whom live in or near his current home of Cleveland – as well as Texas, Florida and New York, among other states. Several contributions came from fellow car dealers and people in the banking industry, and he also got $1,000 from Cleveland Browns punter Jamie Gillan.
In an interview Friday, Moreno said his campaign plans to use the third quarter to expand tis ground game in Columbus, Cincinnati and other parts of the state.
"We did events all over the state last quarter, but we’ll increase contributions and make it much more statewide," he said.
Donors in Ohio and nationwide – plus one across the pond in London – poured money into Ryan's campaign. Some of the more notable contributors were Canton Mayor Thomas Bernabei, Spectrum President Daniel Ross and Comedy Central President Kent Alterman. Ryan also raised over $100,000 from PACs.
"Tim Ryan’s historic fundraising is just one way that he’s shown he’s ready to flip Ohio’s open U.S. Senate seat and give Ohio the most pro-worker Senate delegation in the country," said campaign spokeswoman Izzy Levy. "From now through next November, Tim will continue to unify Ohioans and build grassroots power with his relentless focus on the working people of this state."
Other GOP candidates trail behind
The remaining candidates in the GOP field came out of the second quarter with large sums of cash that will help propel them forward, but much of it came from their own investments and past campaigns. And they ultimately came up with fewer donations than Moreno.
Former state treasurer Josh Mandel raised roughly $1.5 million between his campaign committee and Team Josh, a joint fundraising agreement with Josh PAC and the Shelby County Republican Party. Money raised through that agreement can't solely be spent on Mandel's Senate bid, but his campaign alone has $5 million in cash on hand.
The disclosure came after at least two fundraisers left the campaign because of a toxic work environment created by Mandel's finance director and girlfriend, sources told the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau.
Former Ohio Republican Party chair Jane Timken received $1.1 million in donations directly to her Senate campaign, plus $230,000 through her own joint fundraising agreement that includes the Stark County GOP. Her campaign relied predominately on Ohio donors.
Investment banker Mike Gibbons raised $532,000 and took out a $5.67 million personal loan to support his campaign, leaving him with the most cash on hand of any candidate.
Author and venture capitalist J.D. Vance joined the race after the filing deadline and won't disclose spending until the end of the third quarter. PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel donated $10 million earlier this year to a super PAC backing Vance, a sign that he may be a formidable fundraiser as the race progresses.
Haley BeMiller is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.
Source link
