RUN FOR THE MONEY
Term-limits an open door for underdogs

For Immediate Release: Mar 18, 2002
Contact: Catherine Turcer, (614) 263-4111

COLUMBUS -- In open seat elections, Ohio candidates with fewer contributions than their opponents won 17 percent of the time in the election that term-limits took effect, according to a report released today. During 1995-1996 candidates who raised fewer contributions in open seat elections won only 5 percent of the time. This can also be compared to 6.2 percent in 1997-1998.

Ohio incumbent candidates raised 3.8 times more money than the challengers in 1999-2000, compared with five times more in 1995-1996 and 3.7 times more in 1997-1998.

All of the incumbent Ohio Senators were re-elected in 2000. Challengers defeated only two incumbent Ohio Representatives in 2000. Incumbent candidates who generated more money during 1999-2000 won 94.8 percent of the time.

"The power of incumbency does travel," said Catherine Turcer, campaign reform director of Ohio Citizen Action and co-author of this study. "One hundred percent of the legislative candidates who were displaced due to term-limits and ran for office in the opposite house were elected."

Ohio statewide and legislative candidates, political parties and legislative caucuses received $70,575,923 in contributions in 1999-2000. The employer or organizational affiliation was identified 96.6 percent of the time and the economic sector of 91.3 percent of the time.

Ohio Citizen Action campaigns on issues from toxic waste and food safety to utility and insurance rates to political reform. A non-profit, non-partisan organization, Ohio Citizen Action was founded 1975.