Winburn bets the ranch (actually, a brick colonial)

Charlie Winburn's home in an eight-year-old subdivision in Mount Airy. Winburn mortgaged the home to raise money for his mayoral campaign.

Republican Charlie Winburn has recently loaned his campaign committee $200,828 in order to boost his bid for Cincinnati mayor -- including a $100,000 second mortage on his Mount Airy home, campaign finance reports and county property records show.

Winburn, who is the minister of the Church in College Hill and is on leave from a full-time gubernortorial appointment to the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, said the other $100,828 came from a series of personal loans he made to hs campaign committee. "It’s all moral, legal and clean money," he said.

He said the loan was a sign of strength for his campaign.

"It’s not uncommon for candidates who believe they can win and have something to offer the city," he said. "My philosophy is, never support a candidate who is not able to put their own money up. If they're going to ask other people for money, they should invest in themselves."

According to his campaign finance reports, he spent $93,674 of that money on mailings and $21,355 on stickers.

Winburn took out a $100,000 mortgage on his Mount Airy home on August 12, according to property records. The county auditor has the house valued at $199,800.

"If I lose, I have to pay them back. If I win, I have to pay them back," he said. "I plan to win."

Other mayoral candidates who have outstanding loans to their campaign committees: Mark L. Mallory, $61,000 and David Pepper, $35,000.

The mayor's job pays $122,090 a year.

(Photo courtesy Hamilton County Auditor's Office)