Ex-Dem official to seek seat in 60th District

Only one candidate has filed petitions to run for the state House post.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- A former executive director of the Mahoning County Democratic Party joined a crowded field of candidates planning to run for the 60th Ohio House District seat.
Anthony Caldwell of Youngstown said Tuesday he will run in the May Democratic primary and will file his nominating petitions next week. The filing deadline is Feb. 16.
State Rep. Sylvester D. Patton Jr., a Youngstown Democrat, cannot run for re-election this year to the position because of the state's term limits law. Patton is considering a run for the 33rd Ohio Senate District seat.
Caldwell is among a number of candidates to confirm he is running for the House seat. Caldwell served as the county Democratic executive director in 2003 and as an assistant regional field director in 2004 for America Coming Together, a Democratic political interest group.
State Sen. Robert F. Hagan of Youngstown, D-33rd; Struthers Councilman Dan Yemma, D-3rd; and Bill Flickinger, who has unsuccessfully run for Youngstown mayor in 2005 and county commissioner in 2004, confirmed Tuesday they are in the House race.
Term limit for Hagan
Hagan, a former Ohio House member, and Yemma have previously talked about seeking the post. Like Patton, Hagan cannot run this year for re-election because of the term limits law.
Youngstown Councilman Rufus Hudson, D-2nd, filed his nominating petitions for the seat last week. He is the only person to file petitions for the seat with the Mahoning County Board of Elections.
Mike Latessa of Youngstown resigned last year as an accountant at Cohen and Co. to concentrate on running for this seat as a Democrat.
The House district includes Youngstown and much of northeast Mahoning County.
It is a strong Democratic seat. Mahoning Republican officials are looking for a candidate.
Also, county Commissioner David Ludt, a Democrat, confirmed Tuesday that he will run for re-election this year.
Ludt is seeking his third four-year term as commissioner.
skolnick@vindy.com