If you live in Ohio, you'll be electing county commissioners when you head to the polls this November.
But who's paying for those races? It's not easy to find out.
County commissioners, who serve on a three-person board, make decisions that affect residents' lives, homes and wallets. They manage budgets for the sheriff's office, county auditor, and courts – the people who enforce the law, assess your property and administer justice.
The Enquirer analyzed 10 years of contributions to Greater Cincinnati commissioner candidates across five counties and found:
- Unlike statewide races, Ohio law sets no legal limit to contributions for county commissioner candidates.
- These local races are drawing increasingly large donations, an Enquirer examination of campaign finance reports found.
- Donations of $5,000 or more were made in Warren, Clermont, Hamilton and Butler counties to Democrats and Republicans.
- Both longtime incumbents and political newcomers received large contributions, sometimes from donors across the political aisle.
- Donors ranged from private individuals to local developers, realtors and companies − and even a Cincinnati-based fast food chain − with vested interests in their county's leadership.
Why do big donors matter?
Even if large donations don't change an elected official's behavior, they can lead voters to feel "as if the system is broken," said Kevin Reuning, an associate professor of political science
at Miami University.
Elections officials that The Enquirer spoke to weren't aware that no state-set contribution limits exist for local races. The lack of these limits could discourage already cynical voters, one expert said.
"We live in an age where a lot of people are already pretty skeptical of the government, and so high-dollar donations always make people even more uncomfortable with the system," Reuning said.
The fear of money in politics is that "people are buying votes," Reuning said. Or they may be buying access – a greater likelihood that their phone call or texts are returned, he said. But that's hard to prove, in part because donors typically make contributions to candidates who already align with their political beliefs and interests.
Even though there aren't state-set limits, local municipalities can set their own caps on donations through charters or local ordinances. Ohio lawmakers could also, theoretically, create laws that set local limits, especially since there is already a legal framework for these kinds of limits for statewide races, Reuning said.
Take a look at some of the largest and most notable donations below. Use the searchable database to see all donations of $5,000 and greater, who made the donation and when.
Developer with public projects makes record-breaking $40,000 donation
The largest donation to a commissioner candidate in all five counties over the past 10 years arrived this spring.
Justin Conger, president and CEO of Conger Construction Group, donated a total of $64,000 to Lebanon Mayor Mark Messer. One contribution for $40,000 was made March 1 and another for $24,000 was made April 22.
Messer ran unsuccessfully in the Republican primary race for county commissioner against Commissioner Tom Grossmann. The $64,000 made up the vast majority of donations he received.
Conger previously told The Enquirer he donated money to Messer because he admires the Lebanon mayor as a person and leader, not because he wanted anything from the government.
"Over the years, I have had the opportunity to get to know Mark and observe his commitment to public service, his willingness to listen, and his desire to make decisions that benefit the community as a whole," Conger wrote in an emailed statement.
Conger Construction has developed publicly owned projects in the area, like schools, parks and government-owned centers, and worked with both Warren County and Lebanon. Conger said his company has won government contracts through transparent bidding processes.
Messer previously told The Enquirer that Conger has been a close friend and supporter for over 15 years. The mayor said he offered no favors or promises to Conger in exchange for the donations.
Cincinnati Republican donates to Hamilton County Democrats
Carl Lindner III, a Cincinnati billionaire and friend of President Donald Trump's, donated to Democrats in a blue county's commissioner race.
Lindner, co-CEO of American Financial Group and a majority owner of FC Cincinnati, made a $10,000 contribution to Commissioner Alicia Reece's reelection campaign in 2024. That same year, he also donated $10,000 to Commissioner Denise Driehaus' reelection campaign.
Both Democrats were successful. Driehaus won her seat with around 57% of the vote and Reece won with 55%.
Lindner, whom Trump named to the Kennedy Center Board of Trustees (his term has expired), has spent money on Hamilton County commissioner races for years.
In 2016, he donated $10,000 to Republican Dennis Deters, who narrowly lost his appointed seat to Driehaus. That year, he and his wife also donated $5,000 to Democrat Todd Portune.
Lindner, through an American Financial Group spokesperson, declined to comment on his contributions. Reece did not respond to questions about Lindner and other contributions.
Driehaus said she's received contributions "from various walks of life and from different political persuasions" throughout her career, though she said she's never made any promises to any donor.
"I have heard many times that people want their elected officials to work across party lines in a collaborative way to get things done for the benefit of our community," Driehaus said in an email to The Enquirer. "I have worked hard for all of the citizens of Hamilton County and I believe that is why I have received contributions from so many, including democrats, republicans and independents."
Butler County GOP ousts incumbent with historic $19,000 donation
Butler County has three commissioners: T.C. Rogers, Cindy Carpenter and Don Dixon.
In the 2026 Butler County Republican primary, Michael Ryan, a former Hamilton city councilmember, beat incumbent Carpenter, who has served as county commissioner since 2011.
Ryan was endorsed by the Butler County Republican Party. Carpenter did not seek the party’s endorsement.
Art Sauerwein, chairman of the party, said over 70% of their central committee voted to endorse Ryan. This led to a $19,000 donation to Ryan's campaign ‒ the largest donation the party has made in 10 years, records showed.
"A countywide race against an incumbent is costly," Sauerwein said. "Our party chose to help get Michael Ryan elected in the primary, successfully. We also used a lot of resources walking door-to-door."
Ryan told The Enquirer in an email the only promise he made to the county Republican party "is to be the best possible Commissioner."
Suburban Democrat thwarted despite $15,000 donation
Not all large donations led to victory, records showed.
Chantel Raghu, former vice mayor of Oxford, ran for Butler County commissioner as a Democrat in 2024. Raghu received two large donations from Ernst Bever, a philanthropist who died in April. According to his obituary, he made contributions to groups like Boys and Girls Clubs, Oxford Senior Citizens and Miami University museums.
Bever gave $12,000 and $15,500 to Raghu's campaign in the primary and general elections, respectively. He gave an additional $5,000, according to the pre-primary campaign finance report. Raghu also received a $9,000 donation from E. S. Rogers of Oxford.
But, in the GOP stronghold of Butler County, Raghu lost to Republican incumbent Dixon. It was the first time in 17 years that Dixon had faced a competitor. Records show Dixon has not received a donation of $5,000 or more since 2016.
Raghu did not respond to a request for comment.
Realtors, developers spend big on commissioner races
The Realtor Alliance of Greater Cincinnati, formerly the Cincinnati Area Board of Realtors, represents over 6,000 realtors in Butler, Hamilton and Warren counties.
The group contributed $10,000 to Stephanie Summerow Dumas, a Hamilton County Democrat, in 2023 and $5,000 to Rogers, a Butler County Republican, in 2024. They also donated to other Hamilton County Republicans and Democrats.
In an email to The Enquirer, director of marketing and communication Krystal Bermudez said the group supports commissioner candidates who "demonstrate a commitment to protecting private property rights and supporting the free enterprise system." The alliance looks at candidates' voting records on real estate issues, leadership roles and member screening processes, she said.
"Our participation in the political process is intended to support public officials who understand the importance of policies that promote a strong real estate market and protect private property rights," Bermudez said in the email.
Dumas told The Enquirer that she and the Realtor Alliance of Greater Cincinnati share a common goal of bringing more affordable housing to the area. She said that before her campaign, she wasn’t familiar with the group. Since then, she’s met with leadership from their campaign to learn more about housing issues.
She emphasized she’s never made any promises or commitments to them or any other donor.
“I am one candidate that cannot be steered,” she said. “I make the most honest decision I can make.”
In 2023, Rogers received a $10,000 donation toward his reelection campaign from Artisan Estate Homes LLC, a homebuilder based in Warren County. Rogers defeated Democratic challenger Tamara Small in the general election.
Rogers, a Republican who has served as president of the Butler County Board of Commissioners since 2014, has a background in real estate. He told The Enquirer that Artisan Estate Home owners Rick Seitz and Chad Seitz have been friends of his for many years. He said he was the former president of John Candle Homes, a subsidiary of Artisan Estate Homes, and worked on several homes with the brothers.
Rogers told The Enquirer he has never given any favors to or made decisions directly involving Artisan Estate Homes. He said his son has worked for Artisan Estate Homes for two years, and that he would recuse himself from voting on any future issue if it involves the group.
Rogers said that he worked in the building and construction industry for 45 years, so he knows many developers in the area well. Still, he said, “They all know I’ve never granted a favor.”
“I’m not influenced, because I don’t need to be,” he said.
Artisan Estate Homes did not return The Enquirer's call. Rick Seitz declined to comment.
Buffalo Wings and Rings joins political arena with $10,000 donation
A group called BWR Advertising contributed $10,000 to Bonnie Batchler's Clermont County commissioner campaign in 2023.
In campaign finance records, the group listed an address associated with a former corporate office for Buffalo Wings and Rings, a national sports bar franchise founded and headquartered in Cincinnati.
Buffalo Wings and Rings did not respond to multiple calls to its headquarters. Batchler also did not respond to questions about her connection to the group or contributions.
Donor, hoping to combat county's 'den of thieves,' gave over $13,000
In Clermont County, the largest donation came from a Republican hoping to fight corruption.
Tom Brinkman Jr., a former Ohio representative, donated $13,292 to John Becker's commissioner campaign in 2019.
Becker, also a former state representative and current Union Township trustee, lost the Republican primary. Brinkman, however, said his contribution was "absolutely" worth it.
"John Becker is a wonderful human being," he told The Enquirer. "He's a great guy. He is honest, and he lives in that den of thieves, which is Clermont County."
Brinkman said he's known Becker for 26 years ‒ they served together in the legislature for five years ‒ and the two have contributed to each other's campaigns in the past.
Brinkman said Becker was also considering a run for state senate at the time he was running for commissioner. So, Brinkman donated the maximum amount for a state senate contribution.
Becker, a Republican, is running for Clermont County auditor. Brinkman said he plans to support him.
"Clermont County is ripe with so many dishonest politicians and elected officials, and I'm afraid to say Republicans," Brinkman said. "And John Becker stands out as a breath of fresh air because he tells the truth."
Becker told The Enquirer in an email that the $13,292 is the largest campaign contribution that he's ever received, but that he's never made any promises to Brinkman.
Bengals VP donates to Hamilton County commissioner
Troy Blackburn, vice president of the Cincinnati Bengals, donated $5,000 to Hamilton County Commissioner Denise Driehaus' reelection campaign in 2020, records show.
Around that time, the Bengals and the county were working out an amended lease agreement to make way for a new parking lot and the Andrew J Brady ICON Music Center at The Banks, which opened in 2021.
Driehaus voted in favor of authorizing and issuing $350 million worth of bonds for renovations at the the county owned Paycor Stadium in July 2026.
A Cincinnati Bengals spokesperson did not respond to questions about Blackburn's contribution.
How we investigated donations
The Enquirer examined campaign finance reports for commissioner candidates in Hamilton, Butler, Clermont, Warren and Brown counties from 2016 to 2026. Reporters tracked donations of $5,000 or more. We did not include in-kind donations, which are non-monetary, donated goods or services, like campaign signs and flyers.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Commissioner races drawing bigger donations - and there's no limit
