GOP far ahead in legislature funds

COLUMBUS -- Six months out from the general election, Ohio Democrats remain woefully outgunned against Republicans in their fight to claw their way back into control of the General Assembly.

Campaign finance reports filed Friday showed that Senate Republicans have 162 times more cash in the bank than their Democratic counterparts in a chamber where Democrats are outnumbered better than 2 to 1.

Republicans reported cash on hand of more than $3.2 million, having raised $82,395 just since the primary election.

Democrats had just $19,882 after raising $15,000 during the same period, a third of that coming from just one of its members, Sen. Joe Schiavoni of Youngstown.

Democrats have been more on the defensive than the offensive in recent years in the 33-member Senate, losing one of their then-11 seats in 2010. They recently changed leadership, bringing in Sen. Eric Kearney of Cincinnati.

The financial scenario is a bit better for Democrats in the House, which Republicans control 59-40. The House Republican Organizational Committee reported campaign coffers overflowing with more than $4.8 million, about seven times more than the $692,732 that Democrats were sitting on.

The House GOP raised more than $1 million in the last month, compared with about $370,000 for Democrats.

Democrats held the House majority for the two years that followed the election of President Obama in 2008, but they surrendered those gains and more with the election of 2010, when Republicans swept into state offices.

In three races for Ohio Supreme Court justice:

Yvette McGee Brown of Columbus, the court's only Democrat, continues to defy tradition by out-raising her Republican opponent, Butler County Domestic Relations Judge Sharon Kennedy.

Justice Brown, asking voters to ratify her appointment last year to the bench by Gov. Ted Strickland, had $311,097 in the bank as of April 6, about double the $159,649 that Judge Kennedy had socked away. Justice Brown also outraised Judge Kennedy $94,020 to $39,450 over the last month.

Terrence O'Donnell, a Republican from Rocky River seeking his second full six-year term, had cash on hand of $120,025, half of it raised since the primary election.

His Democratic opponent, Youngstown-area attorney Robert W. Price, has run a virtually invisible campaign against a well-funded incumbent opponent whose name has appeared on the high-court ballot four times over the last dozen years.

Republican Robert Cupp of Lima is also seeking a second term.

He reported a campaign account balance of $118,578, about half of which was raised since the primary election. His opponent, former appellate Judge William O'Neill of Geauga County, filed a report containing zeros across the board. He has vowed not to raise campaign cash as he attempts to make a point about the mixing of money and justice.

Contact Jim Provance at: jprovance@theblade.com or 614-221-0496.