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Secretary Of State Candidates Come Together On Campaign Finance Reform

Republican Sen. Frank LaRose (left) and democratic Rep. Kathleen Clyde (right) agree that more transparency is needed in campaign finance.
Jo Ingles/Ohio Public Radio
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OHIO HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Republican Sen. Frank LaRose (left) and democratic Rep. Kathleen Clyde (right) agree that more transparency is needed in campaign finance.

The opponents of Issue 2, the Drug Price Relief Act, recently outspent backers of that proposal by a four-to-one margin. And most of the money in the opposition’s campaign war chest couldn’t be directly traced because it was in an LLC rather than a traditional political action committee.

This has raised questions once again about campaign finance reform, something both the Democrat and Republican candidates for Secretary of State in Ohio say is needed.

Republican Sen. Frank LaRose says the state needs to put something in place to make sure voters know who is funding political campaigns.

“The number one goal in my mind needs to be transparency," LeRose says.

Rep. Kathleen Clyde, a Democrat, agrees transparency needs to be achieved but also wants changes in contribution limits statewide.

“Our limits could be brought down and I am looking at legislation to do just that,” Clyde says.

But LaRose says it might be a challenge to overcome federal court ordered limits on restricting candidates and adds contribution limits haven’t generally worked in states that have them.

Jo Ingles is a professional journalist who covers politics and Ohio government for the Ohio Public Radio and Television for the Ohio Public Radio and Television Statehouse News Bureau. She reports on issues of importance to Ohioans including education, legislation, politics, and life and death issues such as capital punishment.