WHAT A START! GOP STATE REP. CHRISTINA HAGAN HASN'T BEEN ELECTED TO ANYTHING, BUT SHE HAS TAPPED IN TO LOBBY/SPECIAL INTEREST MONEY BIG TIME: ABOUT 95% OF HER CONTRIBUTIONS!

Republican Christina Hagan (Marlboro) was appointed at state representative for the 50th Ohio House District early this year.

Her predecessor, Todd Snitchler, had run for reelection had soundly defeated Democrat and former Stark County Commissioner Todd Bosley.  But when he woke up the morning after the election, it dawned on him there was a better role for him as a point man for newly elected Republican Governor John Kasich.

Kasich, who described Snitchler as being "wicked, smart," tabbed him to be chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) shortly after the election.

Hagan (whose father, John, represented the 50th from 2000 - 2008 and got term limited out of the House) rushed in to fill the void.  Though many other Stark County Republicans were better qualified to get the appointment (at last report - has not finished her undergraduate college work and had been working as a server in a local restaurant), father John went to work for her and pulled off getting her the appointment.

It is one thing getting an appointment, but it is something else getting elected.

The SCPR hears that she may be getting primary opposition and most certainly Stark's Democrats will want to take advantage of her novice status and field a candidate that has a realistic chance (the 50th is gerrymandered to have a Republican tilt) to defeat her before she gets entrenched.

One Democratic possibility is Louis Giavasis (who is an 18 year Plain Township trustee).

So goal number one for Christina is to build the campaign warchest.

As can be seen in the graphic above, Hagan started out with $0 and now she has (as of the July report, you can bet that it is substantially higher now) $11, 580.

Everyday citizens would likely hope that she do a substantial part of her political fund raising from the rank-and-file citizenry and not Columbus beltway lobbyists and political action committees (PACs).

Everydays hope that someone like Hagan might actually pay attention to their interest.

It appears that they will have no voice in Columbus with Christina Hagan.

The SCPR's examination of her July, 2011 semi-annual Ohio required campaign finance report shows (by The Report's analysis) that 95% of the $11,580 came from PACs, lobbyists and others with special interests that are the subject matter of legislation that comes before members of the Ohio General Assembly.

Undoubtedly, as she campaigns for the GOP primary nomination (which ought to win easily) and beyond for retention (not re-election; remember she hasn't been elected to anything), she will tell voters that she is working hard in the Legislature.

No one will likely dispute that.

The telling question for voters in her "newly" configured district (which includes Giavasis, who has been in Kirk Schuring's) in the light of the 95% PAC, lobbyist, special interest rate of contributions is not whether she is working hard BUT WHO SHE IS WORKING HARD FOR!

Here are extracts from Ohio secretary of state records on her July, 2011 filing.  Following the PAC and individual (including lobbyist and special interest; except for Phil Davision) contributions is a series of graphics which provides information on some of "individual" contributors.