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NOVEMBER
20, 2003GILB, HARNTETT TOP LIST OF
“OHIO CHAMBER RELIANT”
Drawing from our study of 2002 corporate PAC giving, we’ve been
able to determine which members of the Ohio General Assembly rely most
heavily on the Ohio Chamber of Commerce and its members for campaign
contributions.
Rep. Mike Gilb (R-Findlay) ranked first on the list of legislators most
reliant on business support. Nearly 23% of all the money he raised last
year came from Ohio Chamber members. Five lawmakers, all Republicans,
relied on Ohio Chamber members for more than 20% of their campaign contributions.
Rep. Bill Hartnett (D-Mansfield) was the most reliant Democrat.
The top House recipient in terms of total dollars collected in 2002
was…Speaker of the House Larry Householder. Not much of a shock
there. The Speaker’s probably at the top of nearly every ranking
of campaign contributions, given his powerful position.
The rest of this list doesn’t hold many surprises, either, as it’s
littered with members of House leadership and committee chairmen with
jurisdiction over key business issues. And, further illustrating a proclivity
we identified when we looked at the collective giving patterns of the
50 largest corporate PACs, the top of the list is laden with incumbents
and Republicans.
The non-incumbent who raised the most money from Ohio Chamber members
in 2002? Rep. Mary Taylor (R-Green), ranking just 39th. Only three Democrats
cracked the top 20, and support for non-incumbent Democrats was nearly
non-existent: collectively, the 12 freshman Democrat members of the
House collected only $4,750.
Below are two charts listing the 99 members of the House and how much
they received in 2002, both in actual dollars and in terms of percentage
of dollars raised, from the Ohio Chamber PAC and the PACs of Ohio Chamber
member companies. The rankings for the Senate appeared in the last regular
issue of The Political Edge.
OHIO CHAMBER RELIANCE 2002 ELECTION
OHIO HOUSE
Ranked by Total Dollars Received from Ohio Chamber Member PACs
Larry Householder
R $94,150
Gary Cates R $28,350
Chuck Blasdel R $27,875
Dean DePiero D $26,100
Lynn Olman R $22,875
Tom Raga R $22,200
Kevin DeWine R $21,850
Patty Clancy R $21,395
Jim Trakas R $20,500
Jon Husted R $20,400
Chuck Calvert R $19,399
Jon Peterson R $18,275
Jim Raussen R $15,525
Steve Buehrer R $15,400
Geoff Smith R $13,010
Keith Faber R $12,650
Linda Reidelbach R $11,350
Bill Hartnett D $11,130
Mike Gilb R $10,850
Charlie Wilson D $9,950
Merle Kearns R $9,058
Tom Niehaus R $8,950
Bill Seitz R $8,925
John Hagan R $8,500
Nancy Hollister R $8,050
Larry Wolpert R $8,000
Jim Hughes R $7,650
Jean Schmidt R $7,600
Tim Grendell R $7,525
Jim Carmichael R $7,100
David Evans R $6,400
Jeff Manning R $6,298
Chris Redfern D $6,250
Sally Kilbane R $6,100
Greg Jolivette R $6,090
Larry Flowers R $6,000
Steve Driehaus D $5,900
Michelle Schneider R $5,900
Mary Taylor R $5,825
Shawn Webster R $5,600
Bob Latta R $5,200
Shirley Smith D $5,000
Jeff Wagner R $4,500
Jim Hoops R $4,450
Sylvester Patton D $4,450
Jamie Callender R $4,250
Bob Gibbs R $4,249
Tony Core R $4,100
John Widowfield R $4,050
Jim Aslanides R $3,600
George Distel D $3,600
Ed Jerse D $3,200
Tim Schaffer R $3,150
John Boccieri D $2,900
Jim McGregor R $2,600
Scott Oelslager R $2,500
Dan Sferra D $2,350
John White R $2,350
Ron Young R $2,300
Dale Miller D $2,250
John Willamowski R $2,225
Annie Key D $2,200
Thom Collier R $2,100
Bryan Williams R $1,975
Ken Carano D $1,900
Arlene Setzer R $1,900
Claudette Woodard D $1,850
Chris Widener R $1,800
Joyce Beatty D $1,700
Barbara Sykes D $1,650
Dave Daniels R $1,500
Joe Koziura D $1,500
Tom Patton R $1,500
Lance Mason D $1,400
Larry Price D $1,300
Fred Strahorn D $1,300
Catherine Barrett D $1,250
Steve Reinhard R $1,250
Diana Fessler R $1,200
Kathy Walcher R $1,200
John Schlichter R $1,150
Jeanine Perry D $1,000
Jimmy Stewart R $1,000
Peter Ujvagi D $725
Dixie Allen D $650
Derrick Seaver D $650
Clyde Evans R $500
Tom Brinkman R $450
Mary Cirelli D $450
Bob Otterman D $450
Sandy Harwood D $350
Mike DeBose D $300
Todd Book D $200
Edna Brown D $175
Mike Skindell D $150
Tyrone Yates D $150
Kathleen Chandler D $0
John Domenick D $0
Dan Stewart D $0
Ranked
by Percentage from Ohio Chamber Member PACs of Total Dollars Raised
by Candidate
with % from OCC Members
Mike GilbR
$48,188 22.52%
Michelle Schneider R $26,970 21.88%
Jim Aslanides R $16,957 21.23%
Chuck Blasdel R $133,506 20.88%
Larry Wolpert R $39,920 20.04%
David Evans R $32,970 19.41%
Gary Cates R $149,100 19.01%
Bill Hartnett D $60,070 18.53%
Dan Sferra D $12,850 18.29%
Jim Raussen R $88,775 17.49%
Patty Clancy R $123,444 17.33%
Tom Raga R $131,015 16.94%
John Hagan R $51,540 16.49%
Jim Carmichael R $43,810 16.21%
Kevin DeWine R $137,096 15.94%
Tom Niehaus R $58,050 15.42%
Lynn Olman R $152,915 14.96%
Nancy Hollister R $55,245 14.57%
Jon Peterson R $127,393 14.35%
Keith Faber R $88,409 14.31%
Sally Kilbane R $44,694 13.65%
Linda Reidelbach R $84,380 13.45%
Larry Householder R $733,189 12.84%
Jeff Wagner R $35,362 12.73%
Geoff Smith R $104,855 12.41%
Tony Core R $33,810 12.13%
Charlie Wilson D $83,015 11.99%
Ed Jerse D $26,975 11.86%
John Widowfield R $34,500 11.74%
Sylvester Patton D $39,011 11.41%
Chuck Calvert R $174,455 11.12%
Steve Buehrer R $139,359 11.05%
Jeff Manning R $58,490 10.77%
Shawn Webster R $52,857 10.59%
Shirley Smith D $48,199 10.37%
Jamie Callender R $41,076 10.35%
Larry Flowers R $58,530 10.25%
Jean Schmidt R $75,250 10.10%
Annie Key D $21,965 10.02%
Jon Husted R $207,931 9.81%
Barbara Sykes D $16,877 9.78%
Dean DePiero D $268,784 9.71%
Jim McGregor R $27,300 9.52%
Steve Driehaus D $62,492 9.44%
Bob Latta R $59,010 8.81%
Thom Collier R $24,394 8.61%
Merle Kearns R $108,874 8.32%
George Distel D $45,650 7.89%
John Willamowski R $28,301 7.86%
Bill Seitz R $117,267 7.61%
Tim Schaffer R $43,610 7.22%
Ken Carano D $26,335 7.21%
Chris Redfern D $88,317 7.08%
Bob Gibbs R $60,472 7.03%
Catherine Barrett D $17,900 6.98%
Joe Koziura D $21,828 6.87%
Claudette Woodard D $27,183 6.81%
Tim Grendell R $111,310 6.76%
Bryan Williams R $29,450 6.71%
Greg Jolivette R $92,685 6.57%
Jim Trakas R $323,453 6.34%
Jeanine Perry D $17,117 5.84%
Steve Reinhard R $22,120 5.65%
Jim Hughes R $139,858 5.47%
Mary Cirelli D $8,221 5.47%
Jim Hoops R $83,725 5.32%
Fred Strahorn D $25,013 5.20%
Kathy Walcher R $23,680 5.07%
Scott Oelslager R $53,404 4.68%
Dixie Allen D $14,553 4.47%
Joyce Beatty D $38,695 4.39%
Dale Miller D $57,995 3.88%
Arlene Setzer R $49,680 3.82%
Diana Fessler R $31,449 3.82%
John Schlichter R $30,420 3.78%
John White R $63,065 3.73%
Lance Mason D $38,940 3.60%
Dave Daniels R $49,312 3.04%
Ron Young R $79,169 2.91%
John Boccieri D $103,236 2.81%
Mary Taylor R $215,611 2.70%
Larry Price D $51,659 2.52%
Jimmy Stewart R $40,335 2.48%
Chris Widener R $80,256 2.24%
Sandy Harwood D $15,885 2.20%
Bob Otterman D $22,506 2.00%
Mike DeBose D $19,350 1.55%
Tom Patton R $106,915 1.40%
Clyde Evans R $37,015 1.35%
Derrick Seaver D $51,144 1.27%
Peter Ujvagi D $93,896 0.77%
Tom Brinkman R $63,717 0.71%
Edna Brown D $30,155 0.58%
Mike Skindell D $40,585 0.37%
Tyrone Yates D $45,616 0.33%
Todd Book D $75,848 0.26%
Dan Stewart D $138,797 0.00%
John Domenick D $10,505 0.00%
Kathleen Chandler D $26,662 0.00%
SOURCE:
Ohio Secretary of State Campaign Finance Database
HOOD TO ATTEMPT COMEBACK
He was widely considered one of the most conservative members of the
House when he served three terms from 1995-2000, despite the fact he
represented a swing district. He was anathema to organized labor, despite
the fact that he represented part of Mahoning County.
He captured more than 51% of the vote just one time, and was beaten
in his bid for a fourth term in 2000, 52%-48%. He contemplated a run
for Secretary of State in 2002.
Who is it, you ask? Does the name Ron Hood ring any bells?
Hood, who knocked off then-Rep. Judy Carr (D) by less than 600 votes
to win a seat in the House in the GOP tide year of 1994, lost his seat
in 2000 to Rep. John Boccieri (D-New Middletown). During his six years
in the House, Hood compiled a stellar 96% cumulative pro-business voting
record. Now, he’s seeking a return to the House.
But Boccieri need not worry about a rematch – Hood’s again
running for the House, but not against Boccieri.
Earlier this year, Hood moved from Canfield to Ashville. Ashville is
in eastern Pickaway County, which is in the 91st House district. The
91st is currently represented by another legislator: Speaker of the
House Larry Householder, who is term-limited.
While Hood’s name i.d. in the district is likely not very high
at all, he hopes his connections to conservative grassroots organizations,
the large number of potential candidates, and the lack of a consensus
frontrunner will lead to his return to the General Assembly.
In addition to part of Pickaway County, the district includes all of
Hocking and Perry Counties and southern and eastern Licking County.
There are reportedly upwards of ten candidates – from all four
counties – interested in seeking the GOP nomination in the district.
Only one, Gary Burkholder, has name recognition much beyond his home
county.
Burkholder, as a member of the Republican State Central Committee, has
been on the ballot across the entire district and also has twice run
– albeit unsuccessfully – countywide in Licking County. But
while Burkholder comes from Licking County, where upwards of 40% of
the district’s GOP voters reside, his relationship with party leaders
in his home county is at best strained.
Essentially there are three big ifs for Hood to win. If a large field
emerges, with candidates from each county drawing “favorite son”
support, if Burkholder’s rocky relationship in his home county
holds down his vote totals there, and if Hood can successfully raise
money from his statewide contacts – well, who knows? Under these
circumstances, the winner of the primary might only need to capture
a plurality of about one-third of the votes cast to win. Hood may have
put himself in a position to capitalize on a unique set of circumstances
in the Speaker’s backyard.
SUPREME COURT PICTURE GETTING MURKIER, NOT CLEARER
While Democrats have yet to publicly announce their endorsed candidates,
Republican candidates for the Ohio Supreme Court are attempting to gain
maximum political leverage by expressing uncertainty over which endorsed
candidate will run for which seat.
The Ohio Republican Party announced in September its endorsements of
Chief Justice Thomas Moyer, Justices Terrence O’Donnell and Paul
Pfeifer, and Court of Appeals Judge Judith Lanzinger for the four seats
up next year. Moyer and Pfeifer will be seeking re-election to their
current seats, but a decision about which seats Lanzinger and O’Donnell
will run for has apparently not yet been finalized. Though there are
two seats up next year, one is for a full-term and one is to serve the
remaining two years of the term to which former Justice Deborah Cook
was elected in 2000. Whoever wins that contest will have to run again
in 2006 for a full, six-year term.
O’Donnell currently holds that seat, having been appointed by Gov.
Bob Taft to succeed Cook earlier this year. However, he would prefer
to run for the full term next year rather than the partial term. He
ran unsuccessfully against Justice Alice Resnick in 2000 and, should
he run for the remainder of Cook’s unexpired term and win in 2004,
he would then have to mount his third statewide campaign in seven years
in 2006.
Lanzinger and O’Donnell are currently circulating petitions for
both seats. The indecision undoubtedly also has a political element,
as it complicates the Democrats’ ability to slate their candidates
most advantageously, not knowing for sure who their candidates might
match up against.
Democrats supposedly met earlier this week to interview individuals
interested in running for the Ohio Supreme Court. Publicly, only three
names have surfaced as potential candidates for the four seats, and
the party has yet to offer any formal endorsements, even though the
filing deadline is less than 45 days away. The three are Appeals Court
Judges Scott Gwin and William O’Neill and Cuyahoga County Common
Pleas Judge Nancy Fuerst.
ALSO ON THE COMEBACK TRAIL?
In the special Nov. 5th “Election Recap” issue of The Political
Edge, we reported on the outcomes of campaigns involving individuals
familiar around the Statehouse under the heading “Other Races of
Note.” It looks we missed one.
Former Rep. Bob Corbin (R) finished second in a field of six candidates
for three at-large seats on Centerville City Council. He was forced
out of the House by term limits in 2000.
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