Trending
YOUNGSTOWN -- Republican Lynn Maro raised three times the amount of money during the second half of 2023 as incumbent Democrat Gina DeGenova did as they head for a Nov. 5 election showdown in the race for Mahoning County prosecutor.
Maro received $75,318 and DeGenova collected $24,668 during the final six months of the year, according to campaign finance reports filed with the Mahoning County Board of Elections.
It was much closer during the first six months of 2023, with Maro raising $48,720 to $47,700 for DeGenova.
During the first half of 2023, Maro spent more than DeGenova, $33,405 to $24,387, leaving the incumbent with a cash advantage as of June 30.
Maro also spent more than DeGenova in the second half of the year, $18,063 to $9,922.
But with Maro raising significantly more than DeGenova in the second half of the year, the challenger had $74,366 in her campaign account as of Dec. 31 compared with $47,998 for DeGenova.
The prosecutor's race easily is the most expensive 2024 campaign in Mahoning County.
DeGenova, a longtime county assistant prosecutor, was appointed Dec. 1, 2022, by county commissioners as acting prosecutor after the retirement of Democrat Paul J. Gains, who held the position for 26 years.
The county Democratic Party voted Jan. 7, 2023, to have DeGenova fill the rest of Gains' term, which runs through the end of the year.
During the second half of 2023, Maro raised $40,485 from three fundraisers. Her largest contributors were Julie Vrable of Lisbon at $10,000 and Richard Fyda of Columbiana at $6,000.
Her largest expense was $5,128 to RMH Creative of Youngstown in consulting fees.
DeGenova's largest contributors were the Western Reserve Building and Construction Trades of Boardman at $1,500 and Sherman Miles of Campbell, who gave $1,250.
DeGenova's largest expense was $2,250 to Roxbury Pizza Co. of Youngstown for food for a campaign event.
COMMISSIONERS
Commissioner David Ditzler, a Democrat, raised $39,125 in the second half of the year, largely from a September fundraiser. Ditzler spent $11,118 in the second half of the year, mostly to pay for the fundraising event at the Mill Creek Golf Course.
Ditzler, who didn't raise or spend any money in the first half of 2023, ended the year with a $28,120 balance in his fund, which included a small carryover from previous campaigns.
Republican Geno DiFabio, who is challenging Ditzler on Nov. 5, raised $13,405 and spent $2,638 in the second half of the year. DiFabio, who lost a different commissioner race in 2022 by 0.14 of a percent, had $11,982 in his fund as of Dec. 31, which included a modest carryover from his previous campaign.
Democrat Anthony Traficanti is running for reelection for the other commissioner seat on the Nov. 5 ballot.
Traficanti raised $42,625 during the second half of the year and spent $14,851. With a carryover from his previous campaigns, Traficanti had $31,521 in his fund as of Dec. 31.
Jennifer Ciccone, who lost the Struthers Municipal Court judicial race last year, is running as a write-in candidate in the Republican Party's March 19 primary to challenge Traficanti. No other Republican filed for the position.
Ciccone raised $36,320 for her judicial campaign, which included $20,765 in loans from her, her husband and her father.
On her latest report, Ciccone reported a $3,100 loan on Dec. 18 to her campaign from her husband, Daniel Superak.
That loan came two days before she filed as a Republican for the 58th Ohio House District seat. She withdrew from that race on Dec. 26, six days after filing.
Cicccone then filed Jan. 8 as the Republican Party's only write-in candidate to challenge Traficanti.
Ciccone had $6,175 in her campaign fund as of Dec. 31.
County Engineer Pat Ginnetti, a Democrat running unopposed for reelection, raised $37,940 in the second half of 2023 and spent $31,000. Ginnetti, who had a carryover from previous campaigns, finished 2023 with $32,862 in his fund.
Republican Molly Johnson, a Mahoning County Court judge who will file later this year for reelection, reported raising $41,000 during the latter half of 2023.