Sherrod Brown sets new mark for 1st quarter fundraising in Ohio

Sen. Sherrod Brown raised $3.3 million over the first three months of the year, leaving him with $11.8 million cash on hand at the end of March.

The Brown camp said the first quarter haul sets a new record for a campaign in Ohio, and said the 65-year-old has twice as much money as he had at this point in his 2012 re-election race.

“No one fights harder for Ohioans than Sherrod Brown, and it’s clear Ohioans are rallying around Sherrod in his re-election campaign,” said Justin Barasky, Mr. Brown’s campaign manager. “With their help, we can take on the special interests and dark money groups who will spend millions to try to buy Ohio’s U.S. Senate seat.”

Mr. Brown is running for his third term in the Senate. Before that, he served 14 years in the U.S. House, two terms as secretary of state of Ohio and six years as a state lawmaker.

Rep. Jim Renacci and businessman Mike Gibbons are running in the May 8 primary for the GOP nomination and the chance to take on Mr. Brown in the November election.

Political handicappers say Mr. Brown is a slight favorite to win re-election.