OH-18: Space (D) Makes Strong Fund-Raising Statement

Once while I was trial lawyer I handled a case against a pack of Texas renegades who set up a "church" for the purpose of selling fake car insurance and operating a pyramid scheme. After a court hearing at which I presented the state's overwhelming documentary and expert evidence, and the self-represented "church" leaders argued both that they didn't do it and that they didn't realize it was illegal, a member of the group sidled up to me and whispered that the whole proceeding was like "the A-Team meets the Flintstones."

That's about how it looks in the fund-raising race involving the first re-election bid for Rep. Zack Space (D-Dover), who replaced disgraced Rep. Bob Ney (R) in a Republican-leaning district last year and is regarded by the national GOP as an "accidental Congressman" and their No. 1 target. Space raised nearly $275,000 during the third quarter, bringing his total for the year to about $860,000, and he has $592,000 cash-on-hand. That latter figure is more than five times the total cash-on-hand of his three GOP opponents. As reported by Malia Rulon for Gannett News Service today:

Republican Fred Dailey, the state's former agriculture director, raised $48,800 during the last three months. But most of it - $30,000 - was money he lent his campaign.

Dailey had $46,900 in the bank, after expenses, according to his report.

Republican Jeannette Moll, a mediator and staff attorney at the Guernsey County Common Pleas Court, raised $35,400 since July 1. She had $32,000 on hand.

Finally, Republican Paul Phillips, a former B-1 bomber pilot from Chillicothe, raised just $3,750. Still, after expenses, he had $30,650 in the bank.

As a vulnerable incumbent should, Space is making a strong statement with his aggressive fund-raising. That must be heeded by any higher-profile Republicans considering an entry into the race.

The national GOP will pump substantial money into the race, so it is not the case that Space can now relax. Whoever his eventual general election opponent will be, there will be big infusions of GOP cash during the campaign. However, the Republicans have many seats to defend, and the overall fund-raising of the National Republican Congressional Committee has lagged behind that of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. The outlook for Space is looking fairly good.