by Nick Castele
Republican U.S. Sen. Rob Portman far outraised the two Democrats vying to challenge him in this year’s Senate race, according to fundraising numbers released by the campaigns.
Portman brought in $9.8 million in 2015. He begins this year with $12 million on hand in his bid to hold on to his U.S. Senate seat.
That puts him ahead of former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, who raised $3.8 million in all of 2015. Strickland reports having more than $2 million at his disposal this year, as he heads toward the March Democratic primary against Cincinnati City Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld.
Sittenfeld has raised a more modest sum, and has $785,000 to spend at the start of 2016.
It’s not the only money in the race. Sittenfeld’s campaign says a Super PAC backing him has raised another $700,000.
And data from the Federal Elections Commission shows that outside political groups spent at least $2 million last year—all of it against Ted Strickland.
