YOUNGSTOWN — When it comes to campaign money, the two Mahoning County commissioner races were at opposite ends of the financial spectrum.

More than $130,000 was spent in the race between incumbent David Ditzler, an Austintown Democrat, and Steve Kristan of Canfield, his Republican challenger, and both loaned money to their campaigns.

In the other commissioner’s race, incumbent Anthony Traficanti, a Poland Democrat, and Grant W. Williams of New Middletown, his Republican opponent, spent about $18,000 combined — and $10,000 of that went to pay Traficanti to reduce his long-time campaign debt. That payment was made Nov. 23, 20 days after the election.

During the post-general election financial period, between Oct. 15 and Dec. 4, Ditzler raised $4,875 and loaned $5,000 to his campaign on Oct. 29. During the same time, Kristan raised $2,470 and loaned $11,083 to his campaign.

Ditzler spent $40,568.04 during the post-general period with $24,785 for television commercials while Kristan spent $24,204.50 with $9,328.75 for TV ads.

Overall for the campaign, Ditzler spent $76,928.39 to $55,602.19 for Kristan.

Ditzler won 55.86 percent to 44.14 percent.

Kristan, running for political office for the first time, loaned $44,084 to his campaign this year.

The $5,000 Ditzler gave his campaign Oct. 29 was the only loan he made during this election. He has loaned $35,700 in total to his campaigns that remain unpaid.

As of Dec. 4, Ditzler had $3,983.10 in his account compared to $3,217 for Kristan.

During the post-general period, Traficanti raised $5,050 and spent $10,750, including the $10,000 to reduce his debt to his campaign. He spent about $6,947.18 during the pre-general period, between May 30 and Oct. 14.

The debt goes back to Traficanti’s first commissioner campaign in 2004. Even with the payment, Traficanti’s campaign owed him $60,914 listed as debt and $21,000 listed as loans.

As of Dec. 4, Traficanti had a $14,987.03 surplus in his campaign fund.

Traficanti beat Williams 60.04 percent to 39.96 percent.

Williams, running for political office for the first time, reported raising no money in the post-general period and spending $91.25. He loaned $500 to his campaign on March 27. As of Dec. 4, he had $783.07 left in his fund.

The job pays about $93,000 annually.

PROSECUTOR AND JUDGE

Marty Desmond, the unsuccessful Republican challenger in the county prosecutor’s race, received $62,000 in campaign loans, including $17,000 during the post-general period.

Paul J. Gains of Boardman, the Democratic incumbent, beat Desmond of Poland 54.59 percent to 45.41 percent.

That final $17,000 in loans included $7,000 from Desmond — $5,000 on Oct. 23 and $2,000 on Nov. 23 — and $5,000 each from Carol Desmond of Youngstown, his mother, and Elizabeth Joyce of Girard, his aunt.

During the campaign, Joyce loaned $45,000 and he personally loaned $12,000.

During the post-general period, Desmond raised $12,475 to $6,440 for Gains.

But Gains spent a little more during that time: $37,869.53 to $35,102.24.

Gains’ biggest expense was $25,151 for television commercials while Desmond’s largest expense was $15,750 to Communications Counsel of Columbus for media advertising. Desmond also listed a $10,000 debt to the company for a consulting fee.

Overall for the campaign, Desmond raised more money than Gains: $86,545 to $75,350 and that doesn’t include the $62,000 in loans.

As of Dec. 4, Desmond had $368.47 in his account and would have had a deficit if he didn’t loan the $2,000 on Nov. 23 to his campaign.

Gains, who was first elected prosecutor in 1996, had $10,954.27 in his fund as of Dec. 4.

The prosecutor’s job pays about $140,000 annually.

In the county court judicial race, J.P. Morgan of Boardman spent considerably more in the post-general period than his challenger, Joe Schiavoni of Boardman.

But Schiavoni won the race 58.03 percent to 41.97 percent.

Between Oct. 15 and Dec. 4, Schiavoni raised $4,355 and spent $13,311.05.

Morgan raised $4,790 from contributors, got a $10,000 loan from his wife and campaign treasurer, Ronnie, and received $29,734.19 in in-kind contributions from the Ohio Republican Party for campaign mail during the post-general period.

Morgan spent $31,784.32 during that same time with $31,000 given to the ORP and listed as a “contribution.” That money was likely to offset some of the party’s expenses for his campaign literature during the post-general period and $12,433.20 on Sept. 25.

Overall, Morgan’s wife loaned $36,600 to his campaign this year.

While judicial candidates don’t run with party affiliations in general elections, Morgan is a Republican and Schiavoni is a Democrat who served 10 years in the Ohio Senate.

Morgan was appointed to the seat, effective March 11, 2019, by Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, after Democrat David D’Apolito vacated it because he was elected to a position on the 7th District Court of Appeals.

Schiavoni was sworn in Nov. 24.

The term is up for election in 2022. The county court job pays about $81,000 annually.

dskolnick@tribtoday.com