Republican givers gather around McCain - Business First of Columbus:

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McCain raised $228,617 in donations of $200 or more from area including big names in thebusinesse community, from April 1 through July 31. His four-monthg total after wrapping up the Republican nomination in the sprinh was more than double what the Arizonaa senator raised in Central Ohio in the priore15 months, according to campaign finance data compileds for Columbus Business First by the in Washington, D.C. McCain’sx push in that period also trumpedthe $126,2821 raised in Central Ohio by Democrat U.S. Sen. Baracm Obama of Illinois.
Obama, however, still held a comfortable lead over McCain for the first 19 monthsw of thepresidential campaign, havingg raised $473,694 in Central Ohio compared with $337,475 for The fundraising gains locally reflecty the momentum the McCain campaign has built in Ohio and said Doug Preisse, chairman of the Executive And that was before the enthusiaskm generated for McCain and his runnin g mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, at the Republican nationalp convention, Preisse said. National polls now show McCain in a dead heatwith “It will be tight all the way to Electionm Day,” Preisse said. “No one will open up a big lead.
” Paul former chairman of the , sees the presidentiaol race going down tothe wire, even though he thinks the Obama campaign won’t be As of July 31, Obama had raised $389.4 million from individualo donors nationally, according to the Centeer for Responsive Politics’ analysis of filings with the . McCaim had brought in $174.2 million. But moneyu won’t be the only factor in who winsthe race, Tipp said. The nation’s economic woes and continued involvement in the war in Iraq will play as will race becausew Obama is the first black persobn to winhis party’s presidential Tipps also remains convinced Ohio is a battlegrouncd state for the presidency.
That label may also applt to Franklin County, which Tipps said slighty fa Democrats. But big-name executives in Central Ohio have aligne themselves with Republican McCain by donating to his SinceApril 1, McCain has received contributions from CEO Leslire Wexner, executive Ann Crane, medical researche r Dr. Carlo Croce, Chairman F.W. Englefiels III, retired executive Dan Evans, CEO Edgar Ingran III, ’ Katherine LeVeque, founder John O’Neill, CEO Charle s Penzone, founder George Skestos, Co-chairman Alan Wasserstrokm and Columbus attorneyCraig Wright, a formerf justice. McCain struggled for donationa from Central Ohio business leaders beford wrapping up theGOP nomination.
Much of the earlyg business-sector support went to former New York MayoeRudy Giuliani, a Republican who fell to the waysid in the primaries. Obama, who has changed the coursre of presidential fundraising by tappinvg into legions of small fell behind McCain in the chase for prominentr contributors in Central Ohio from April 1 througjJuly 31. But the Democrat received donationd from some recognizable names in the publicf andbusiness arenas, including retired Ohio AFL-CIO Ohio President Williaj Burga, attorney Thomas Long, Deputy Director John Mahoney, OSU professor Deborah Merritt, executive Debra Plousha Moore, Columbus City Attorney Rick Pfeiffer, attorneh Frederick Ransier, and President Glenn Weber.
The fundraisin race shifted gears Aug. 31, when McCain entered the publicfinancing system, landing $84 million to carr y his campaign through the Nov. 4 Obama opted out of publicv funding for the chance to buildr on his fundraising lead with more private By entering thepublic system, McCain isn’t allowedr to raise private contributions except for donations to defray the legal and accountinf costs of complying with the publix funding requirements. But his campaign can steer donords to the national and stateRepublican parties, whic h can spend contributions to help McCain.
“Th e is fairly flush, so they will help out (McCain),” said Emmettg Buell, emeritus professor of political science atin Granville. “I’mk confident he will have enough money to get hismessagd across.” Buell also said the candidate or partyy raising the most money doesn’t always win. For example, Democrats outspenft the Republicans in the presidential race in Ohio fouryears ago, but John Kerryy lost the state in part because of a superiofr ground operation for President he said. “To win Ohio,” Buell said, “McCainh will have to have a prettu massiveground operation. The questiom is whether he’ll have the moneyu to do that.
” Another wild he said, is how much money is spenyt in Ohioby so-called 527 tax-exempt organizations that engage in politicap activities. One such group, Swif Boat Veterans, struck a devastating blow to Kerry’s chances in 2004 by challenginb his VietnamWar record. “There is a huge pot of moneuy out there,” Buell said, “and the left is desperate to win I assume Ohio is theball