CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR BREAK FUNDRAISING RECORD
The Associated Press State & Local Wire - BYLINE: By JOHN McCARTHY [9/7/2006]

"Ohio Democrat Ted Strickland raised 40 percent more cash than Republican Ken Blackwell last month and the candidates broke the fundraising record for an Ohio governor's race with two months left in the campaign.

Overall, Strickland has raised $11.2 million and Blackwell nearly $10 million, breaking the combined record of $18 million set in 1998 by Republican Bob Taft and Democrat Lee Fisher, Strickland's running mate this year.

Strickland, a congressman who represents a rural southeastern district, reported raising $2.3 million during August, while Blackwell raised $1.6 million, according to reports filed with the secretary of state Blackwell's current office.

Strickland reported $7.5 million in cash on hand, while Blackwell had $5 million. At the beginning of August, Strickland had $5.1 million and Blackwell $3.3 million in the bank.

In 1998, Taft raised more than $9.8 million in beating Fisher, who raised more than $8.1 million.

Both candidates' biggest donors by far were their own parties. The Ohio Republican Party gave Blackwell $390,000 almost one-fourth of his total. Strickland got $154,000, or 15 percent of his total, from the Ohio Democratic Party.

Strickland had donations of $10,000 the limit for individuals and political action committees from 54 donors, compared with 34 for Blackwell.

Strickland's $10,000 contributors included New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, considered a lock to win that state's governorship, and Jason Flom, chairman of Virgin Records U.S.

Blackwell got $10,000 from All Children Matter, a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based supporter of charter schools and education voucher programs. He is an outspoken supporter of both.

He received a $9,000 donation from Albert Ratner, whose family controls Forest City Enterprises. The developer owns a site where a slot-machine parlor would land in downtown Cleveland if voters approve a proposed ballot issue allowing the machines in Ohio.

Both campaigns have accepted money from backers of the gambling issue, despite their opposition to the slots plan. In June 2005, Strickland reported a $10,000 contribution from the finance director at Beulah Park, a track outside Columbus.

The reports showed a pair of fundraising mismatches. Republican Betty Montgomery, with $2.7 million on hand, has four times as much to spend on her race for attorney general than Democrat Marc Dann.

Sandra O'Brien, who shocked incumbent Treasurer Jennette Bradley in the GOP primary, reported just $3,547 on hand, compared with Democrat Richard Cordray's $1.48 million, a 417-1 advantage.

Other campaigns found Republican Greg Hartmann with $961,000 on hand for his campaign for secretary of state against Democrat Jennifer Brunner, who reported $658,000 in the bank, and Republican Mary Taylor with $690,000 in the race for auditor, compared with $479,000 for Democrat Barbara Sykes.

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