The campaigns of the four incumbent Republican state legislators representing the Mahoning Valley all received significant in-kind contributions from their political party fundraising groups in the final days leading to their election victories.

During the post-general reporting period, Oct. 17 to Dec. 6, the four incumbents received between $115,806 and $237,249 in in-kind contributions from a combination of the Ohio Republican Party, Republican Senate Campaign Committee and / or the Ohio House Republican Alliance. The latter two are the fundraising arms of the party’s Senate and House caucuses, respectively.

The money went for television and radio commercials, digital advertisements, media production, direct mail, postage, staff and office supplies.

Virtually all of the money came in before the Nov. 5 election though some came in a little more than a week later presumably to cover payments for services performed prior to the date.

In two of the cases — for state Sen. Al Cutrona, R-Canfield, and state Rep. Tex Fischer, R-Boardman — large payments from their campaigns were made to these Republican fundraising committees.

In all four races, the Republican won by comfortable margins.

Also, state Rep. Lauren McNally of Youngstown, the only Democrat among the Valley’s state legislators, won against a Republican who didn’t report raising any money and Ashtabula County Auditor David Thomas, R-Jefferson, ran unopposed in the 65th Ohio House District’s general election.

MAHONING COUNTY

Cutrona beat Democrat Marty Hume of Youngstown 60.9% to 39.1% in the 33rd Senate District race that was only on the ballot because Republican Michael Rulli of Salem resigned from the spot June 12, the day after he was elected to the 6th Congressional District seat.

Cutrona, appointed to the Senate on June 26, will have to run for reelection in 2026.

Cutrona received $237,249 in in-kind contributions from the ORP and RSCC for media production and commercials, digital advertisements, direct mail and campaign supplies during the post-general election period.

Cutrona gave $150,000 to the RSCC on Oct. 26, listing it as a contribution.

Cutrona also raised $47,627 during the post-general period and spent $156,489.

As a prolific fundraiser, Cutrona had $66,859 in his campaign fund as of Dec. 6 from previous elections and filing periods.

Cutrona received $63,393 in the pre-general period, April 20 to Oct. 16, from the ORP and RSCC and gave $100,000 to the latter.

Hume largely self-funded his campaign.

He loaned $23,000 to his campaign in the post-general period after giving $25,000 to it in the pre-general period.

During the post-general period, Hume raised $2,427 from donors and spent $32,195.

Hume’s largest expenses in the period were $14,760 to WFMJ-TV 21 and $6,732 to WKBN-TV 27 to air commercials.

Hume had $370 in his campaign fund as of Dec. 6.

The district includes all of Mahoning, Columbiana and Carroll counties and favored Republicans by about 9.5% based on statewide partisan voting during the previous decade. Cutrona won by 21.8%.

Cutrona’s ascension to the state Senate left his 59th Ohio House District seat vacant. It was filled by Fischer, who beat Democrat Laura Schaeffer of Beloit 57.1% to 42.9% in the Nov. 5 election.

Fischer received $115,806 in in-kind contributions during the post-general period, Oct. 17 to Dec. 6, from the ORP and OHRA for media advertising, digital ads, video production and direct mail.

He received $90,600 in in-kind contributions in the pre-general period from OHRA and paid $10,000 to it as a caucus contribution.

Fischer raised $8,100 and spent $75,547 during the post-general period with $75,000 going to OHRA, listed on his campaign finance form as a caucus contribution.

Because of a carryover from the pre-general period, Fischer had $39,817 in his campaign fund as of Dec. 6.

Schaeffer raised $1,532 in the post-general period and spent $26,002 with her largest expense being $12,172 to the Ohio Democratic Party for campaign advertising.

She had $8,368 in her campaign fund as of Dec. 6.

The district, which includes portions of Mahoning County and two townships in Columbiana County, favored Republicans by 12% based on statewide partisan voting results during the previous decade. Fischer won by 14.2%.

In the 58th House District race, McNally beat Republican Emily Ciccone of Austintown 58% to 42%.

McNally’s campaign raised $755 in the post-general period and spent $45,943. Her largest expense was $17,507 to the ODP for direct mail, printing and postage.

McNally’s campaign had $28,871 in it as of Dec. 6.

Ciccone didn’t report raising any money for her campaign.

The district, which includes portions of Mahoning County, favors Democrats by 21% based on statewide partisan voting results in the past decade. McNally won by 16% and was the only general election winner in the Valley to win by less than the previous statewide voting results.

TRUMBULL COUNTY

State Sen. Sandra O’Brien, R-Lenox, won reelection to a second four-year term representing the 32nd Senate District, beating Democrat Michael Shrodek of Warren 62.9% to 37.1%.

O’Brien received $131,174 in the post-general period from the ORP and the RSCC in in-kind contributions for commercials, direct mail, postage and office supplies. During the pre-general period, April 20 to Oct. 16, she received $33,956 in in-kind contributions from the two groups.

For the Republican primary, the RSCC spent $452,587 to help O’Brien beat state Rep. Mike Loychik of Bazetta.

During the post-general period, O’Brien raised $1,525 and spent $12,322 with $10,000 of it going to RSCC, listed as a donation.

O’Brien had $98,876 in her fund as of Dec. 6 thanks to money carried over from previous filing periods and her prior campaign.

Shrodek raised $625 in the post-general period and spent $1,525. He listed a $1,990 surplus in his fund as of Dec. 6.

The 32nd District includes all of Trumbull and Ashtabula counties, and most of Geauga County. It favored Republicans by about 10.5% based on statewide partisan voting results in the past decade. O’Brien won it by 25.8%.

In the 64th Ohio House District race, state Rep. Nick Santucci, R-Howland, defeated Democrat Lauren Matthews of Warren 56.2% to 43.8% in the closest state legislative race in the Mahoning Valley.

Santucci received $132,055 in in-kind contributions from the ORP and OHRA during the post-general period for media advertising, digital ads, video production, direct mail and political staff.

The two entities gave him $53,315 in in-kind contributions during the pre-general period.

Santucci raised $29,825 in contributions during the post-general period and spent $53,648. His largest expenditure was $26,745 to H&F Strategies of Youngstown for campaign consulting, mail and advertising.

Santucci’s fund had a $186,978 surplus as of Dec. 6.

Mathews raised $2,329 during the post-general period and loaned $19,200 to her campaign. For the entire election cycle, Mathews loaned $25,200 to her failed campaign.

She spent $19,602 during the post-general period with $19,398 going to Adapt Digital LLC of Findlay for digital advertising.

She had $2,274 left in her fund as of Dec. 6.

The 64th District, which includes parts of Trumbull County, favored Democrats by about 2.5% based on voting results during the previous decade. Santucci won by 12.4%.

In the 65th House District, Thomas ran unopposed in the general election. The district, which includes parts of Trumbull and Ashtabula counties, favored Republicans by 14.5% based on partisan voting trends during the previous decade.

Thomas raised $15,007 in the post-general period and spent $16,043 with his largest expense being $10,000 to OHRA, listed as a donation on his finance report. Thomas gave $5,000 to OHRA in the pre-general period.

With money carried over from previous reporting periods, Thomas had $11,815 in his campaign fund as of Dec. 6.