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Sherrod Brown raises another $1.25 million, to Josh Mandel’s $1.5 million
By Stephen Koff 

WASHINGTON -- Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown raised $1.25 million in the recently ended quarter, compared with probable opponent Josh Mandel’s take of $1.5 million. 

That follows $1.5 million in the second quarter for Brown and $1.3 million in the first. He spent some campaign cash as his reelection campaign ratcheted up, but he also started with money in the bank. So he’ll report just over $4.2 million on hand when reports are turned in at the Federal Election Commission. The filing deadline is Oct. 15. 

Brown’s figures come from the Ohio Democratic Party. Mandel’s come from Politico, which reported the Ohio pol’s take first. 

It isn’t yet known how much money Mandel, a Republican serving as Ohio’s treasurer, has on hand, but he raised $2.3 million in the previous quarter, his first in the race. 

Mandel spokesman Joe Aquilino says this may mark the second consecutive quarter in which the Ohio candidate has raised more than any other GOP Senate challenger. Aquilino, in an e-mail, credited Mandel’s success to an anti-incumbent, anti-Washington sentiment. 

“Sherrod Brown is so ultra-liberal and so antagonistic to business, that many many pro-business Democrats who supported Ted Strickland and Lee Fisher in 2010 are actually supporting us instead of Sherrod in this election,” Aquilino said. “These pro-business Democrats and Independents combined with an energized Republican donor base is producing strong results.” 

He added that Tea Party supporters, business leaders, traditional Republicans and social conservatives are banding behind Mandel, and he expects Brown to suffer from association with President Barack Obama. 

Yet recent polling suggests that Obama’s 53 percent disapproval rating in Ohio has not hurt Brown. A Quinnipiac University poll showed that if the election were held today, Brown would beat Mandel by 13 points. 

Mandel will spend millions trying to keep that from happening in November 2012. That’s why he’s raising money prodigiously now. 

Justin Barasky, spokesman for the Ohio Democratic Party, said,

“Josh Mandel’s always willing to highlight his fundraising numbers, but Ohioans want to know why he refuses to stand up for Ohio jobs and workers by taking a position on China’s unfair currency manipulation, why he won’t fight against job killing trade agreements, and why he continues to break the law by not disclosing his personal finances.” 

That last jab was in reference to Mandel’s long-overdue personal financial disclosure report. Mandel has said that once he clarifies some questions about disclosing his wife’s assets, he will file the report and pay a $200 fine for being late. 

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