Republican Nick Santucci raised the most money of any candidate seeking to succeed state Rep. Michael J. O’Brien in the 64th Ohio House District race during the first half of the year.
Santucci, of Howland, collected $19,075 in contributions and spent $84.44, leaving him with $18,990.56 as of June 30.
Santucci established a designation of treasurer May 4 with the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office, which allowed him to start raising money beginning that day.
The money he reported raising is only through June 30, the last day of the filing report.
Santucci, a senior consultant for workforce and community engagement for VAZA Consulting, based in Pickerington, held a major fundraiser July 13 that isn’t included in the report.
In the filing period, Santucci’s two biggest contributors were Chuck George of Canfield, CEO of Hapco Inc. of Kent, with $2,500 and Rex Ferry of Naples, Fla., CEO of VEC Inc. in Girard, with $2,000.
Two Democrats have announced they’re also running for the seat.
Bria Bennett of Warren Township, a business operations manager for HireLogic and a former Ohio Democratic Party field organizer, filed her designation of treasurer July 6, so she didn’t submit a finance report for the first half of this year.
Vincent Peterson II of Howland, a community affairs liaison for U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, filed a designation of treasurer on June 7 and updated it 14 days later.
Peterson received his first contribution June 21 and raised $670 as of June 30 without any expenses.
O’Brien, D-Warren, cannot run for re-election next year because of the state’s term-limits law. O’Brien said he’ll have a decision soon on whether he’ll seek another political office.
He raised $350 during the first half of the year and spent $1,185. Because of carryover from his other state House campaigns, O’Brien had $59,547.61 in his campaign fund as of June 30.
Members of the General Assembly and candidates who filed designations of treasurer with the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office recently submitted campaign finance reports for the first half of 2021.
In the 63rd House District, first-term state Rep. Michael Loychik, R-Bazetta, had a quiet first half of the year in terms of raising and spending money for his campaign.
Loychik raised $2,250, all from PACs, and spent $1,922.18, primarily to pay for campaign meetings at various bars and restaurants in Columbus.
Loychik started the year with $15,002.71 in his campaign fund and had $15,330.53 as of June 30.
Democrat John Moliterno, the executive director of the Western Reserve Port Authority and an at-Large councilman in Girard, is considering a challenge next year to Loychik but has not created a state campaign account.
State Sen. Sandra O’Brien, R-Lenox, was elected last year to a four-year term representing the 32nd Senate District. She won’t have to run for re-election until 2024. Her district includes all of Trumbull and Ashtabula counties as well as a section of Geauga County.
During the first half of the year, she received $7,325.25 in contributions, with $5,350 coming from PACs, and spent $1,671.26 with $1,280 of it going to Orange Grand Committee of Lewis Center for rent.
She started the year with $3,174.31 in her campaign account and had $8,828.30 in it as of June 30.
She beat then-incumbent Democrat Sean O’Brien in the 2020 election.
The Democrat didn’t file a new campaign finance report. But as of Dec. 4, 2020, O’Brien had $86,745,87 in his state fund.
