RH Jones, an urgent message: Sen. Dann needs OUR HELP to defeat former STRS Board member Betty Montgomery in race for Attorney General

Two ways to contribute to Sen. Marc Dann's campaign:

Online: Go to Sen. Dann's blog, http://www.blogforohio.com/, and click on "Contribute to Dann for Ohio." (Scroll down the page; you'll find it in a red box in the right sidebar.)

(Or click here: Contribute to Sen. Marc Dann's campaign)

By Mail: Send your contribution to:

Dann for Ohio

4531 Belmont Ave., Suite C

Youngstown, OH 44505

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June 10, 2006

To all:

The Beacon this morning mentions that: "Betty Montgomery, because of her run for governor, has a whopping $1.54 million in her campaign coffers for the race for Attorney General - more than five times the $278,377 her opponent, Sen. Marc Dann has on hand".
Folks, we friends of children and their active and retired teachers, need to contribute to Dann's campaign.

Do we really want someone like Montgomery in office who has shown to be so damaging to the cause of education in Ohio? Her gross neglect of the STRS when she was on the STRS board is a matter of record. Send your checks to your local Democratic Party headquarters earmarked for Marc Dann's campaign. If someone has a better address to share, please make it widely known. [See above.]

At this critical stage in the immoral "pay to play" politics of Ohio's present ruling party, we are in a fight for Ohio's economic and moral future.

RHJones, CORE member and SummitCRTA Leg. CMTE

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From the Beacon Journal, June 10, 2006

Candidates in Ohio filling coffers fast

Blackwell, Strickland surpass $6 million mark, but Democrat has more left in bank

By Lisa A. Abraham

Beacon Journal staff writer

Forget about Col. Steve Austin -- Ohio's candidates for governor are the new $6 million men.

Republican J. Kenneth Blackwell and Democrat Ted Strickland both have surpassed the $6 million mark in their fundraising, according to campaign finance reports filed Friday.

Blackwell, Ohio's secretary of state, has raised more than $6.6 million since he started his campaign fundraising in 2003, his spokesman Carlo LoParo said. More than $2.2 million of that has come in since April 13.

Strickland, a congressman from Lisbon, has raised $6.15 million -- more than $2 million of which was raised in the last seven weeks.

Blackwell, who last month was the victor in an expensive primary election against Attorney General Jim Petro, has spent $1.26 million since April 13 -- leaving him with $1.3 million on hand.

``Ohioans have responded to Ken Blackwell's message of economic growth and job creation,'' Blackwell campaign chair Lara Mastin said in a statement. ``After spending nearly $5.3 million during the primary campaign, our call for funding was quickly answered.''

Strickland money has all been raised in the 13 months since Strickland announced his candidacy, campaign spokesman Keith Dailey said. At that time, Strickland set a goal of raising $1 million in 80 days.

``We've outpaced ourselves,'' Dailey said, noting how the campaign raised its most recent $2 million in the past 52 days.

He pointed out that Strickland has more than $2.6 million on hand -- double what Blackwell has at his disposal.

``It's money well-invested for late summer and early fall,'' Dailey said. ``This may be the first time in Ohio history that a Democratic candidate for governor has had the cash advantage over a Republican by two-to-one.''

``I am truly humbled by the unprecedented support our campaign to turn around Ohio has received,'' Strickland said in a statement released Friday. ``Clearly, the people of Ohio are ready for change.''

The Blackwell camp boasts that it has received 25,277 contributions from 15,332 individual donors.

The list includes $100,000 from the Ohio Republican Party State Candidate Fund.

Strickland, meanwhile, has received 10,714 contributions. His report shows that his single biggest contribution was a $40,000 donation from the Ohio Democratic Party State Candidate Fund.

In the race for Ohio auditor, Republican Mary Taylor, a state representative from Green, has $402,806 in the bank, compared with the $237,585 her Democratic opponent, State Rep. Barbara Sykes of Akron, has on hand.

The reports show Sykes has raised $75,500 since April, and spent $41,323, while Taylor raised $165,300, and spent just $16,284.

Ohio Auditor Betty Montgomery, the Republican nominee for attorney general, has a whopping $1.56 million in the bank -- more than five times the $278,377 her opponent, Democrat Sen. Marc Dann of suburban Youngstown, has on hand.

Montgomery has raised $167,000 since April, and spent $211,820 during the same time. Her coffers had a head start with funds left over from her abandoned campaign for governor.

Dann has raised $290,814 since April, and spent $154,677.