New campaign finance reports suggest Republican Gov. Mike DeWine well positioned despite GOP opposition

ohio gov mike dewine holds coronavirus press briefing at the wolstein center

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, seen here in an April file photo, is well-positioned for re-election, despite foment within his own party, new campaign finance reports suggest. (David Petkiewicz, cleveland.com) David Petkiewicz, cleveland.com

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Unless the dynamics of the race change dramatically, new campaign numbers on Friday suggest that Gov. Mike DeWine, despite passionate opposition from a segment within his own party, is on a comfortable path to secure the Republican nomination next year and given the state’s larger political trends, perhaps even re-election.

DeWine reported raising more than $3 million in the most recent period -- the most on record for the most recent reporting period, which covers the first half of 2021 -- contributing to the $6.5 million in his campaign bank account. While that’s a major part of this story, it’s not surprising that DeWine would show strong fundraising numbers. He has a deep network of donors, the benefits of incumbency plus a 40-plus-year political career. He’s also independently wealthy, thanks to family business interests, so would be able and willing to self-fund his campaign if needed.

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