Rep. Jim Jordan is raising big campaign bucks, Rep. Tim Ryan isnt: See what Northeast Ohio Congress members – cleveland.com

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Rep. Jim Jordans enhanced profile as one of President Donald Trumps most vocal public defenders is paying off for the Champaign County Republicans political fundraising, helping him to collect nearly $1.4 million during the last quarter of 2019, more than either of Ohios U.S. Senators raised in that period. Much of it came in small donations from people all over the country.

Republicans transferred Jordan to the House Intelligence Committee during its probe into Trumps decision to withhold congressionally approved aid to Ukraine while asking its president to investigate the family of a political rival, former Vice President Joe Biden. Jordan also figured prominently in the House Judiciary Committees impeachment debate.

Trump liked Jordans performance enough to make him part of the White House defense team during U.S. Senates impeachment trial, and Jordan has said hes interested in becoming the House Judiciary Committees top Republican when Georgias Doug Collins leaves the job to run for U.S. Senate.

Jordan, who unsuccessfully challenged Californias Kevin McCarthy for the House Republican Leaders job in 2018, collected $10,000 from McCarthys political action committee during the years last quarter, suggesting the two have reconciled. Slightly more than $43,000 of Jordans quarterly fundraising came from political action committees, Federal Election Commission records show.

Campaign spokesman Kevin Eichinger said Jordan eclipsed his past record of small dollar donations as a result of people seeing all the unfairness going on in Washington, and those people wanting to support the few that are standing up against that unfairness.

One of Jordans largest individual donations during the quarter came from the CEO of a Cleveland aerospace company that the Pentagon has accused of profiteering. The House Oversight and Reform Committee, where Jordan is the top Republican, held a hearing last May where its members criticized the company after a Defense Department Inspector Generals report that found it overcharged taxpayers by $16.1 million on $26.2 million in contracts between January 2015 and January 2017. The CEO of TransDigm Group Inc., Kevin Stein of Chagrin Falls, donated $5,600 to Jordan.

Jordan also spent lots of of money during the quarter - $926,590 - much of it on fundraising - and ended the year with $2,108,539 in the bank. His expenses included hiring temporary staffers with security backgrounds who accompanied him to some of his appearances outside of Ohio and Washington.

Since Congressman Jordans profile has been on the rise, requests for appearances nationwide have also been on the rise, so we have brought on some temporary help, when needed, to assist in the logistics of out of state travel, Eichinger said.

Niles-area Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan, who spent much of last year traveling the country in an unsuccessful pursuit of the Democratic presidential nomination, had the least money in the bank of any area member of Congress: $98,342, FEC filings indicate.

Of the $137,883 that Ryan collected in the years last quarter, around $106,000 came from political committees, many associated with organized labor or defense contractors. He also transferred almost $17,000 from his presidential campaign to his congressional re-election committee. His campaign reported $80,178 in operating expenses during the quarter.

Heres how much other members of Congress who represent Northeast Ohio had in the bank going into 2020:

Sen. Rob Portman: $3,806,088.55 in the bank

Almost $170,000 of the $540,168 that the Cincinnati Republican collected during the quarter came from political committees. He got $10,000 from Sen. Jerry Morans Free State PAC, and $5,000 each from PACs representing UBS Americas and the AFLAC insurance company. His individual donors included J.M Smucker Chairman Timothy P. Smucker and NiSource President and CEO Joseph G. Hamrock of Westerville, who each gave $2,800.

The biggest chunk of the $104,923 Portman spent in the quarter was more than $15,000 for fundraising consulting. He spent more than $10,000 on printing, and nearly $3,000 on Toledo Mudhen minor league baseball tickets for a political event. Portman will next face re-election in 2022.

Sen. Sherrod Brown: $1,307,393.76 in the bank

After winning his third term in 2018, the Cleveland Democrat wont be up for re-election again until 2024. The $272,939 that Brown collected in the last quarter of 2019 included $2,200 from ScottsMiracle-Grow Company Chairman and CEO James Hagedorn, $1,500 from M/I Homes president Robert H. Schottenstein, and $2,000 from officials of Chicago-based Hecate Energy, including former Democratic National Committee Chair David C. Wilhelm of Bexley.

The $47,745 he got from political committees included $5,000 from a PAC for Scotts Miracle-Gro PAC, $2,500 for a PAC from Whirlpool Corp., and $2,000 from AK Steel Corporations PAC.

A large share of Browns $147,878 in disbursements were for fundraising and digital consulting. His campaign also spent $5,025 for Cleveland Indians tickets.

Rep. Dave Joyce: $1,267,158.82 in the bank

The Bainbridge Township Republican collected $410,447 in the quarter. His donors included Park Ohio President Matt Crawford, who gave him $5,600, Cleveland Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam, who each gave $2,800, and former Invacare CEO Mal Mixon and his wife, Barbara, who each gave $2,800.

The more than $188,000 that Joyce collected from from political committees included $10,000 from House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthys Majority Committee. As the top Republican on a subcommittee that funds the Interior Department, Joyce also got contributions from committees that represent several American Indian tribes.

The more than $200,000 his campaign spent in the quarter included more than $86,000 on fundraising consulting, a $25,000 donation to the National Republican Congressional Committee, and more than $30,000 in legal fees.Joyces former campaign treasurer, ex-Highland Heights Mayor Scott Coleman, pleaded guilty to stealing more than $160,000 from his treasury.

Rep. Marcia Fudge: $1,042,261 in the bank

The Warrensville Heights Democrat raised $123,442 in the quarter and disbursed $92,021 - including a $10,000 donation to the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party. Her $1,000 donors included former Cincinnati Bengals running back Archie Griffin and former Greater Cleveland Growth Association President and CEO Carole Hoover. The $62,112 she got from political committees included $7,500 from the Farm Credit PAC and $5,000 from a machinists union.

At the end of the year, her campaign deposited more than $20,000 in checks it previously collected but didnt cash.

Rep. Anthony Gonzalez: $756,512 in the bank

The freshman Republican from Rocky River collected $290,844 in the quarter, spent $264,773 and finished with $756,512 in the bank. He donated more than $90,000 to the National Republican Congressional Committee, and $2.500 to Cuyahoga Countys Republican Party. His campaign still has a $40,000 loan on the books from Gonzalez.

His campaign received $2,800 donations from Forest City Enterprises executive Albert B. Ratner, RPM International Chairman and CEO Frank C. Sullivan. His more than $151,000 in donations from political committees included $2,000 from RPM.

Rep Marcy Kaptur: $662,497 in the bank

The $122,715 that Toledo Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur collected during the last quarter of 2019 included more than $94,000 from political committees, many of which are union affiliated. Steelworkers and machinists unions each gave her $5,000.

Her individual donors included Lakewood Mayor Mike Summers, who gave $1,000, former Congress member Mary Rose Oakar, who gave $250, and former Cuyahoga Democratic Party Chair Stuart Garson, who gave $2,000.

The largest chunk of the of the $225,323 that her campaign disbursed was a $125,000 donation to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. She also gave $1,000 donations to more than 30 Democratic Congress members and candidates, and a $1,000 donation to Lucas Countys Democratic party.

Rep. Bob Gibbs: $485,058 in the bank

The Holmes County Republican defeated a Democrat who outspent him in 2018 and didnt focus much on raising money late last year. Most of the close to $60,000 he raised during the quarter came from political committees associated with transportation and agricultural interests, reflecting the committees hes served on in Congress.

His individual donors included Carnival cruise ship company chairman Mickey Arison, who gave him $2,000. His campaigns largest expense was a $10,000 donation to the National Republican Congressional Committee.