Hill dominates political financials

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By Staff Report

Deadline to file post-primary financial information for the May 8 primary was Friday May 15.

Candidates, whether they won or lost, are required to report where they received funds and to itemize expenses that their committee incurred, such as radio ads, post cards, and yard signs.

Many Muskingum County candidates ran unopposed in the primary election, thus resulting in little, if any funds being spent in the previous months leading up to the May primary.

The Democratic primary for the Ohio House of Representative 97th District saw Kristine Geis challenge Jennifer Riesbeck Mahoney to determine who would contest incumbent Brian Hill in the November election.

Financial reports submitted by both candidates show that Geis was able to secure $2,357, compared to her opponent, Mahoney, who only raised funds she personally donated to the campaign, totaling $500.

Mahoney’s only listed expense was for $287.66, noted as radio ads through AVC Communications for the duration of May 1 through Election Day, May 8.

Geis, spent a total of $2,391.45 on various different advertising methods, including $428 in radio ads on both AVC and WHIZ stations.

In a rare occurrence for local politics, Geis spent $59.99 on Facebook Ads over the course of her primary to target potential voters.

She also spent over $500 on yard signs and $391.79 on door hangers and various other decals as part of her door-to-door campaign.

Having secured the primary election, Geis received an additional $2,740 to assist her bid against Hill in November.

Hill has raised $49,890.60 since Jan. 3 of this year, not including funds he has from previous cycles running without an opponent in both the primary and general elections.

The 97th district historically favors the Republic Party and if financial contributions are any indication, Geis will have an up-hill battle this November in her quest to unseat Hill.