Millionaire candidates pour cash into Ohio, Pa. Senate races

By JULIE CARR SMYTH and MARC LEVY
Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Millionaire candidates and billionaire investors are harnessing their considerable personal wealth to try to win competitive Republican primaries for open U.S. Senate seats in Pennsylvania and Ohio. In Ohio, four wealthy candidates led by investment banker Mike Gibbons have given their campaigns over $35 million combined. In Pennsylvania, three multimillionaire candidates, including TV’s Dr. Mehmet Oz, report lending their campaigns over $20 million combined. Billionaires Peter Thiel and Ken Griffin have contributed millions to super PACs supporting their candidates. The executive director of the research group OpenSecrets says self-funding appeals to wealthy candidates because it allows them to “fight fire with fire” against deep-pocketed super PACs and dark-money groups.