Dems plan to endorse for 17th

In Mahoning County, the party's chairman said he will probably support incumbent Thomas C. Sawyer of Akron.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- This is the opportunity Trumbull County Democrats have been waiting for.
Trumbull Democrats have long felt underappreciated when it comes to choosing their congressman as if they were playing second fiddle to Mahoning County.
But with the state redistricting plan making Trumbull the largest county in the new 17th Congressional District, Democratic leaders there say things will be different. Trumbull makes up 34 percent of the 17th District's population.
Also, Trumbull is the only county in the 17th -- which also includes portions of Mahoning, Portage and Summit counties -- that will endorse a congressional candidate in the Democratic primary. That will occur at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Divieste's Banquet Hall in Warren.
Trumbull Democrats want to elect one of their own to Congress. But they face a major challenge.
U.S. Rep. Thomas C. Sawyer of Akron, an eight-term incumbent, has a significant advantage over the other six Democratic candidates in his race, several local politicians and political experts say.
Besides the power and money of incumbency, Sawyer is the only candidate in the field not from the Mahoning Valley. Political experts say Sawyer will win Portage and Summit, which he has represented for years, by large margins, while he and the six Valley candidates will divide the Mahoning and Trumbull vote.
Trumbull candidates: "I think we have a chance to elect a congressman from this side of the district if we can go head-on" with Sawyer, said Nick Melfi, Trumbull Democratic chairman. "A strong Warren-area candidate can win against an incumbent congressman."
Melfi is backing state Rep. Anthony A. Latell Jr. of Girard, who, along with state Sen. Timothy J. Ryan of Niles, are considered Sawyer's most viable challengers. Latell and Ryan are the only officeholders among the six Mahoning Valley Democratic candidates for the 17th District seat.
Melfi expects his party's endorsement to play a big role in choosing the district's next congressman.
"I hope those who don't get the endorsement will see the handwriting on the wall and step down," he said. "For us to have a chance [to beat Sawyer], we have to go head-on. We can win with the right candidate."
Historically, candidates endorsed by his party win Trumbull County 95 percent of the time, Melfi added. Those who are endorsed by the party are included in Trumbull Democratic mailings and featured in television advertising.
"If you want to win in Trumbull County, it's very, very important to get the party endorsement," Melfi said. "With the endorsement, you get 284 precinct committee people working their neighborhoods on your behalf."
Mahoning chairman: David Ditzler, the Mahoning Democratic chairman, said he's a realist. As it stands now, Ditzler said, Sawyer is going to win the primary and it is in Mahoning County's best interests to get behind the winner. That is why Ditzler will probably support Sawyer in the primary. But, like Melfi, Ditzler said there is a chance that the Democratic field will thin out during the next few weeks.
"Right now, [Sawyer's] a person to support only because there's too many from our Valley in the race for us to think we can get that seat," Ditzler said. "My gut feeling is to go with the incumbent because of that. When you've got the Trumbull people splitting it up and you've got less of a division in the Akron area, the votes favor" Sawyer.
Support for Sawyer: Although the Summit County Democratic Party does not endorse in the primary, every major Democratic officeholder in the county supports Sawyer, who is from there, said chairman Russell Pry.
"If Tom asks for help from me or others, he'll get it," said Pry, who has known Sawyer for more than 20 years.
Pry said Sawyer should not have a problem winning the primary.
Paul H. Jones, the Portage County Democratic chairman, said not only does his party not endorse in primaries, but he is taking a complete hands-off approach when it comes to offering his support to any candidate.
"We allow people to fight it out in the primary and then we get behind those who win the primary 100 percent," Jones said. "I find it's best not to endorse."
Jones described the primary as a "free-for-all" among the seven candidates.
skolnick@vindy.com