City council candidates in Washington Court House spent the most money ever in the city’s history on a local city council race this election.
Newcomer Jim Blair won, along with incumbents Kendra Redd-Hernandez and Jim Chrisman.
Redd-Hernandez, who has voted democrat in the last dozen elections and was an outspoken supporter of Hillary Clinton, did not file any campaign finance reports with the local Board of Elections, which means she did not spend more than $1,000; her “campaign adviser” is a rubber-stamp republican.
Blair raised a total of $1,740, according to his most recent filing. His biggest sole-donation came from Caleb Johnson, a current Washington Court House City Council member in the form of a check just three weeks before the election; it amounted to $500.
Blair also received $100 from local prominent republican Martha Cooper, who is the local GOP secretary. In addition, Blair’s wife, Christine Blair gave $450, and well known republican John Rhoad gave $300.
In total, Blair spent $1,472, with most of it going to local printers in Chillicothe and Washington Court House for yard signs, magnets, shirts, and fliers. His wife was his campaign treasurer.
Kathie Oesterle and Jason Gilmore, who ran on a combined ticket raised $6,130 between the two. Gilmore has been a registered a democrat, whereas Oesterle shows more of a conservative voting record.
Their biggest sole-donation was $1,000 from each of them to their own campaigns. The rest of their donations were comprised of smaller donations from various citizens, averaging $75 each. Gilmore and Oesterle formed separate campaign committees to expend their funds for them.
Like Blair, the bulk of their expenses went to printing materials, such as yard signs, plastic cups with their campaign logos that were reportedly passed out during the Scarecrow Festival, and front-page advertisement with the local newspaper. It appears, unlike their competitors, Oesterle and Gilmore bought almost exclusively from union-organized businesses.
Incumbent Jim Chrisman spent $1,192 under his campaign committee, “Jim Chrisman for Washington C.H. Council,” who acted as his own treasurer. Chrisman did not itemize his form like the other candidates. Instead, his donations were all lumped together in one line that reads, “$1,192….checks.”
According to the Ohio Elections Commission, this could be in violation of campaign finance laws.
“There are allowances under $25 that can be listed, for lack of a better word, as a group,” said Phillip Richter, director of the Ohio Elections Commission. “The person who lists them are suppose to itemize to the best of their ability where the money came from. Essentially….under the expectations of the statute, you are expected to list the contributors.”
Chrisman spent almost all of his money with local printer, The Print Shop for yard signs and post cards. The remaining went to the local newspaper and the post office.
