YOUNGSTOWN — With more than six months before the Nov. 5 general election, the two candidates for Mahoning County prosecutor already have raised nearly $300,000 combined in the most expensive race in the county.

The postprimary period, from Feb. 29 to April 19, saw incumbent Democrat Gina DeGenova raise more than 10 times the amount collected by Republican Lynn Maro.

DeGenova raised $44,805 to $4,150 for Maro during those 51 days.

DeGenova benefited from a fundraiser at The Lake Club in Poland, but also received a $5,000 contribution from David Betras, an attorney and former Mahoning County Democratic Party chairman; $5,000 from Judy Powers of Canfield; and $2,500 from businessman Ed Muransky of Poland, who also gave a $3,750 in-kind contribution toward the fundraiser’s expense. Muransky is president of The Lake Club.

From Jan. 1, 2023, to April 19, DeGenova raised $146,848 to $146,413 for Maro.

In the postprimary period, DeGenova spent $16,229 to $12,869 for Maro.

DeGenova’s largest expense was $12,100 to The Lake Club for the fundraiser, while Maro paid $3,138 to RMH Creative of Youngstown for consulting fees and graphics work, $2,500 to Jaladah Aslam of Austintown for consulting fees, $2,500 to J. Elliot Associates of Boardman for consulting fees, and she donated $1,500 to the Ohio Republican Party.

As of April 19, DeGenova had $100,665 in her campaign fund compared to $58,106 for Maro.

DeGenova was appointed Dec. 1, 2022, by county commissioners as acting prosecutor after the retirement of Paul J. Gains. The county Democratic Party voted Jan. 7, 2023, to have DeGenova fill the rest of Gains’ term, which runs through Jan. 5.

OTHER CANDIDATES

Commissioner David Ditzler, a Democrat, raised $16,125 in the postprimary period compared with $1,904 for Geno DiFabio, his Republican challenger.

Since the start of the campaign, Ditzler has raised $57,400 to $30,044 for DiFabio.

Ditzler, seeking his fourth four-year term, had $41,031 in his campaign fund as of April 19 compared with $20,783 for DiFabio.

DiFabio ran in 2022 for a different county commissioner seat, losing by 0.14 of 1%in that race.

Clerk of Courts Dan Dascenzo raised $21,220 in the postprimary period, including a $2,500 loan from himself.

Dascenzo spent $3,881 in the period and had $17,339 in his campaign fund as of April 19.

Dascenzo was elected Sept. 13 by the county Democratic Party to fill out the unexpired term of Tony Vivo, who retired after nearly 29 years on the job.

Dascenzo will face Michael P. Ciccone of Austintown, who won the March 19 Republican primary. He hasn’t filed a campaign finance report with the county board of elections.

Sheriff Jerry Greene, a longtime Democrat, filed to run in the Nov. 5 election as a Republican. He is running unopposed.

While Greene switched party affiliation, he gave contributions to three Democrats: $1,000 to DeGenova, $200 to Dascenzo and $100 to Ditzler for fundraising events. Greene also gave $300 to the county Republican Party for its March 16 fundraiser.

POLITICAL PARTIES

The Mahoning County Republican Party raised $24,375 and spent $36,994 during the period between Feb. 29 and April 19.

Its largest expense was $15,948 to Waypoint 4180 of Canfield for hosting the party’s March 16 Lincoln Day dinner.

It paid $9,000 to Premier Speakers Bureau of Franklin, Tennessee, for the second part of an $18,000 fee for Riley Gaines, an outspoken critic of transgender athletes competing against women. She was the dinner’s keynote speaker. The other $9,000 fee was paid Feb. 13.

The party also gave $4,700 on March 27 to the county sheriff’s office for its efforts to stop human trafficking. The money was collected during a private event Oct. 3 with Tim Ballard, who was the keynote speaker at a party fundraiser that day.

Ballard’s work with human trafficking was featured in a film. He is being sued over allegations of sexual misconduct.

Because of a carryover, the party had $14,628 in its campaign fund as of April 19.

The Mahoning County Democratic Party raised $16,667 and spent $12,397 in the postprimary period.

Its largest expense was $8,100 to Station Square Ristorante in Liberty for catering expenses for its April 19 hall of fame dinner. It had $9,494 in its fund as of April 19.

Have an interesting story? Contact David Skolnick by email at dskolnick@vindy.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @dskolnick.