COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland continues to lag in cash as he seeks to unseat Republican incumbent Rob Portman in one of the year’s most closely watched U.S. Senate contests.
The Democrat on Friday reported raising about $1.5 million during the quarter ending March 31. Portman raised $2.4 million for the period.
Strickland will report $2.7 million cash on hand, a fifth of Portman’s $13.5 million. Portman raised more than any other targeted Senate candidate in 2015.
Strickland’s campaign says his online donations tripled after Portman expressed opposition to holding Senate hearings on President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland. They say the surge shows Strickland’s message is resonating with Ohioans.
Portman’s campaign says Strickland’s lagging far behind his own fundraising goals because Ohioans remember his record as governor.