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Preparing for next year's election, some state legislators in the Mahoning Valley have a decent amount of cash in their campaign funds.
State Rep. Michele Lepore-Hagan, D-Youngstown, cannot run for re-election next year because of the term limits law. Her state fund had $21,454.36 in it as of June 30.
Lepore-Hagan said she is considering a state Senate bid next year and her husband, Robert, may be interested in the state House seat. Decisions will be made by the end of September, she said.
Robert Hagan served eight years in the House and had to leave because of term limits and was succeeded by his wife. Hagan also spent eight years in the state Senate and before that, a decade in the House (term limits in Ohio didn't start until January 1993).
Also, Youngstown Councilwoman Lauren McNally, D-5th Ward, said she is giving serious consideration to running for the solid Democratic seat.
If state Sen. Michael Rulli, R-Salem, decides to run for re-election, Lepore-Hagan faces an uphill climb.
Rulli also is looking at a possible congressional bid should redistricting provide an advantageous seat. That appears to be unlikely, but not out of the question.
Rulli had $77,034.07 in his state campaign account as of June 30.
If Rulli does run for a U.S. House seat, state Rep. Tim Ginter, R-Salem, who is term limited from running next year for re-election, would be the leading GOP candidate for the state Senate seat. He had $24,646.50 in his campaign fund as of June 30.
Probably the person in the Valley's state legislative delegation with the clearest path to victory next year is state Rep. Al Cutrona, R-Canfield.
He's in a very red district and has been excellent at raising money.
In the first half of this year, he received $61,896.18 in contributions. Cutrona has so much money that he repaid a $50,000 loan he gave his campaign a year ago and still had $79,584.66 in his state fund as of June 30.
Another legislator in a comfortable financial position is state Rep. Michael J. O'Brien, D-Warren, who had $59,547.61 in his campaign fund as of June 30.
But O'Brien also cannot seek re-election because of term limits. He said he'll have a decision soon on seeking another elected office.
Signs point to him running next year for Trumbull County commissioner -- a job he held years ago -- challenging Frank Fuda, incumbent and a fellow Democrat. O'Brien is likely in the race regardless of whether Fuda runs.
With O'Brien out of the Ohio House, Republicans see an opportunity to get Nick Santucci of Howland elected to that seat.
Santucci filed a designation of treasurer May 4, which allowed him to raise money beginning that day. As of June 30, he had collected $19,075.
Santucci is far from done. He had a major fundraiser July 13, after the filing deadline, and is sure to get a lot of financial assistance from state Republicans.
The two Democrats who've announced for the seat so far -- Vincent Peterson II of Howland and Bria Bennett of Warren Township -- likely won't be able to compete with Santucci financially. But the district leans Democratic and with redistricting, it is likely to lean a bit more.
However, leaning Democratic doesn't guarantee anything.
The Ohio House 63rd District, which takes in the rest of Trumbull County, was a Democratic stronghold for years. But Republicans provided the needed money in 2020 to Michael Loychik, R-Bazetta, while Democrats did next to nothing for then-incumbent Gil Blair of Weathersfield. Loychik beat Blair.
Loychik's fundraising in the first half of this year was virtually nonexistent as he raised $2,250, all from political action committees, and spent $1,922.18, primarily to pay for what was described on his finance report as campaign meetings at various bars and restaurants in Columbus.
Loychik had $15,330.53 in his campaign fund as of June 30. He depended on the generosity of Republican House members to get him into office and will likely do the same in the 2022 election.
Loychik doesn't have an announced opponent yet, but John Moliterno, a Girard at-Large councilman and executive director of the Western Reserve Port Authority, is strongly considering a challenge.
Skolnick covers politics for The Vindicator.
dskolnick@vindy.com