Ohio Elections Commission To Look Into Evidence Against Blystone Instead of Settling

The Ohio Elections Commission (OEC) announced last week it will hold a hearing on Thursday, January 5, 2023 to review evidence against former gubernatorial candidate Joe Blystone concerning alleged campaign-finance violations. 

Charges against the Republican former hopeful include failure to report contributions from small-dollar backers and breach of rules regarding corporate donations. The onetime candidate was engaged in negotiations with Commission Executive Director Philip Richter, but some GOP members of the commission, including D. Michael Crites and Christina Hagan, reportedly insisted on continuing the probe to achieve full accountability. 

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Republicans Outraise Democrats by 130 Percent in Ohio House Races

Campaign finance requirements govern how much money candidates may receive from individuals and organizations, how often they must report those contributions, and how much individuals, organizations, and political entities may contribute to campaigns.

While campaign finance is not the only factor in electoral outcomes, successful fundraising can provide a candidate with advantages during a campaign. Fundraising can also indicate party momentum.

This article lists top fundraisers in the Ohio House of Representatives, overall and by party. It is based on campaign finance reports that officeholders in and candidates for the House submitted to the Ohio Secretary of State. It includes activity between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2021.

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Ohio Representative Wants to End Political Dark Money

An Ohio lawmaker wants to shed more light on political contributions with proposed legislation that would force organizations to disclose funding sources for monies used for certain political purposes.
State Rep. Diane Grendell, R-Chesterland, announced her plan to introduce what she’s calling the “Light of Day” bill, which she said would shine light on campaign funding and eliminate dark money.

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Amash Challenger Jim Lower Raises Over $200K for Congressional Race in 40 Days

  Michigan State Rep. Jim Lower (R-Greenville) announced Wednesday that he is filing a Federal Elections Commission report that shows he raised $200,506 from 3,161 contributors in just 40 days for his U.S. House race. Two highlights are that Ron Weiser, a former Michigan Republican Party Chair, former Republican National…

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Ilhan Omar Filed Joint Tax Returns With Man She Wasn’t Married to, Media Ignores Bombshell

  An investigation by Minnesota’s Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board into Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) found she violated campaign finance laws dating back to when she served a single term in the State House of Representatives from 2016-2018. But conservative Twitter quickly uncovered a more shocking detail in the…

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Money from Wealthy Democrats Pours into Aftab Pureval Coffers from Outside Ohio

One of Aftab Pureval’s primary focus points in his campaign to upend Republican Congressman Steve Chabot and turn Ohio’s first congressional district seat blue, is that Chabot is beholden to “special interests.” Pureval has used that barb in his ads and in both debates so far with Chabot, including the most…

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Jim Renacci Raises More than $1.75 Million in Third Quarter

Jim Renacci

Republican U.S. Senate candidate for Ohio Rep. Jim Renacci (R-OH-16) raised more than $1.75 million in the third quarter of 2018. The impressive haul comes from more than 10,700 donors – each averaging a contribution to Renacci of about $160 each – who are seeking new represenation  for Ohio in Washington. Renacci’s opponent, 25-year Washington…

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New Data Shows Sherrod Brown Number-One in Money Raised from Lobbyists

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) likes to come across as a man of the people, a self-proclaimed populist who “sticks up for the little guy.” At a rally on the campus of Ohio University, Browned railed against the “gun lobby,” among other special interests tied to Republicans. But according to new data published…

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Aftab Pureval’s Mother Made Two Donations in 2018 to His Clerk of Courts Campaign that Raise ‘Red Flags’

Aftab Pureval

Congressional midterms are about to heat up post-Labor Day, and one of the campaigns Democrats are most excited about is Ohio’s First Congressional District, where Aftab Pureval is pitted against incumbent Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH-01). Chabot has held the seat for 20 of the past 22 years. But even as…

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