U.S. Rep. Michael Rulli raised almost as much money in less than three weeks leading up to his Nov. 5 re-election than Michael L. Kripchak, his Democratic challenger in the 6th Congressional District race, collected in his entire campaign.

Rulli’s post-general campaign finance report shows the Salem Republican raised $77,951 between Oct. 17 and Nov. 25 with all but $2 raised on or before the Nov. 5 election. In comparison, Kripchak of Youngstown raised a total of $78,967 during the entirety of his campaign and only $4,900 in the post-general period with nothing received after the Nov. 5 election.

Rulli received 66.7 percent of the vote compared to 33.3 percent for Kripchak. The race was considerably closer in the June 11 special election, with Rulli winning by 9.3 percent for the unexpired term of Republican Bill Johnson.

Of the money Rulli raised in the post-general period, $16,626 came from individual donors, $10,000 from political action committees and $51,325 came from the Rulli Victory Fund, a PAC created by Rulli’s campaign committee and Ohio Valley Leadership PAC, which he also operates.

The victory fund allows Rulli to raise additional money above the normal dollar limits of a campaign fund. Money raised by the Rulli Victory Fund can be transferred to his campaign as well as his leadership PAC. The latter allows Rulli to raise money for other Republicans and pay for certain expenses. Several members of Congress have campaign committees, PACs and leadership PACs.

Rulli formed the committees in December 2023.

Rulli for Ohio, his campaign committee, raised a total of $1,134,667 as of Nov. 25.

The fund raised $592,455 from individual donors, $428,336 from PACs — mostly after Rulli won the June 11 special election — as well as $83,399 transferred from the Rulli Victory Fund, a $30,400 loan from the congressman and a small amount in refunds and rebates.

Rulli’s campaign fund spent $1,027,512, including $71,330 during the post-general period.

His largest post-general expenses were $27,200 to the Paroska Group Inc. of Cleveland for fundraising consulting; $16,000 to Spencer Federal LLC of East Liverpool for campaign consulting, printing and campaign mail; and $14,000 to Meeting Street Research LLC of Mount Pleasant, S.C., for research consulting.

Rulli reported having $107,155 in his campaign fund as of Nov. 25.

Rulli also listed $14,731 in campaign debt with $14,000 owed to Meeting Street Research and $731 to Poolhouse Agency LLC of Richmond, Va., for polling.

The Rulli Victory Fund raised and spent $75,170 and reported having no money as of Nov. 25.

Ohio Valley Leadership PAC received $22,213 from the Rulli Victory Fund in the post-general period and reported spending $300 to a compliance consulting firm.

Kripchak’s campaign fund went into the post-general period with $4,601 of debt and ended it with $32,529 of debt.

Kripchak raised $4,900 during the period and spent $32,828.

His largest post-general expenses were $13,700 to Colossus Strategies and Consulting of Canfield for campaign consulting, advertising and text messages and $6,375 to WFMJ-TV of Youngstown for commercials.

For the year, Kripchak raised $78,967 and spent $111,496.

The 6th Congressional District includes all of Mahoning, Columbiana, Carroll, Jefferson, Belmont, Harrison, Monroe, Noble and Washington counties and portions of Stark and Tuscarawas counties

The district has an 18 percent advantage for Republicans based on voting trends in partisan statewide elections during the past decade. Rulli won by 33.4 percent in the Nov. 5 election.

BILL JOHNSON

Johnson left Congress on Jan. 21 to become Youngstown State University president. He then closed his campaign fund, transferring the money to a PAC that existed for a few days and then finally, on June 30, to his leadership PAC, called Belief in Life and Liberty PAC, or Bill’s PAC.

Johnson has said he’s undecided if he is going to give money to candidates and wants to use some of it to benefit YSU. Giving the money directly to YSU isn’t permissible under FEC laws.

Johnson gave $20,000 on Oct. 17 to the Youngstown State University Foundation, which provides scholarships to YSU students as well as for projects and programs at the school.

Prior to that, Johnson’s PAC gave $2,000 to the Penguin Club on July 24, $5,242 to it a day later as well as $1,000 on Jan. 26 from his then-campaign fund to the booster organization that supports student athletes at YSU.

Bill’s PAC continues to collect interest, including $2,763 in the post-general period.

The fund had a $848,238 surplus as of Nov. 25 and has spent little of its money. It received an $873,721 transfer on June 30 when Johnson closed his other funds.

Johnson is permitted to make an unlimited financial transfer to any national, state or local political party, but hasn’t given any money to any of those entities since his Jan. 21 resignation from Congress, where he served 13 years.