BY HOWARD WILKINSON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
When first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton comes to Cincinnati for a campaign fund-raiser Monday, some who are there to support Roxanne Qualls will find their money going to U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland instead. And vice versa.
The first lady's appearance Monday at a fund-raising rally and private reception at Music Hall will be a joint fund-raiser for Ms. Qualls, the Democratic challenger in the 1st Congressional District, and Mr. Strickland, the Democratic incumbent from Ohio's 6th Congressional District.
But, because of federal campaign contribution limits, the sponsor of the event, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), has set up a special fund for money raised Monday called the Ohio Fund for a New Majority.
Ms. Qualls' campaign spokeswoman, Beth Davidson, said tickets for the general reception at Music Hall are $100 each. A private reception with Mrs. Clinton will cost $2,000 for individuals and $5,000 for political action committees (PACs).
Under federal campaign finance laws, individuals are limited to $1,000 contributions to congressional candidates in the primary election and $1,000 in the general election.
Ms. Davidson said that if a person who has already given the maximum amount to Ms. Qualls' campaign wants to contribute another $1,000 for Monday's event, the money will go into the Ohio Fund for a New Majority and be split between Mr. Strickland's campaign and the DCCC.
And if a Strickland backer has already contributed the maximum, the money he or she gives Monday will be split between the Qualls campaign and the DCCC.
"After the event, the DCCC will sort out where the money goes," Ms. Davidson said. "Both campaigns will get their share."
The money, Ms. Davidson said, "is not so important as the enthusiasm having the first lady here will bring to the campaign."
As of July 1, the Qualls campaign had $397,399 in the bank, compared with $509,191 for her Republican opponent, incumbent Steve Chabot. In the 6th District, which stretches across southern Ohio from Lebanon to Marietta, Mr. Strickland had almost three times as much money as his opponent, Ohio Lt. Gov. Nancy Hollister. The Hollister camp had $115,021 in the bank as of July 1, according to her federal campaign finance report.
Mrs. Clinton has done a number of fund-raising events for congressional candidates this spring.
After this event, she will travel to Cleveland, where she will help raise money for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Mary Boyle, a former Cuyahoga County commissioner.
Campaign finance reports filed last week showed Ms. Boyle far behind her Republican opponent, Ohio Gov. George Voinovich, in fund raising. Mr. Voinovich had about $3.8 million in the bank, compared with $417,751 for Ms. Boyle.
