TRUMBULL DEMS Sawyer seeks party nod

The congressman does not plan to appear at Thursday's endorsement meeting because of congressional obligations.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Although he does not think he has much of a chance of getting the Trumbull County Democratic Party endorsement, U.S. Rep. Thomas C. Sawyer said he will still seek it.
"It's fair to say the Trumbull County Democrats will probably prefer to endorse one of their own," Sawyer said.
Sawyer was in the Valley on Monday visiting Forum Health's Tod Children's Hospital in Youngstown and Trumbull Memorial Hospital in Warren to get a better understanding of the area's health-care facilities.
Sawyer served on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which he says plays a key role in developing national health-care policies.
The Akron Democrat said either state Rep. Anthony A. Latell Jr. of Girard or state Sen. Timothy A. Ryan of Niles, the only two other current officeholders in the 17th Congressional District Democratic primary, will probably get the Trumbull endorsement.
"I'll contend for it, but I don't think it's likely to happen," Sawyer said about getting the endorsement.
Largest county: The 284-member Trumbull Democratic central committee will meet Thursday to endorse a candidate in the 17th District race. Trumbull is the largest county in the new 17th District, making up 34 percent of the district's population.
The district also includes portions of Mahoning, Portage and Summit counties. The Democratic parties in those three counties do not endorse candidates.
Sawyer, an eight-term congressman, said that he would like to get the Trumbull Democratic endorsement but that it will not adversely affect his campaign if he does not.
Sawyer does not expect to attend the endorsement meeting. He said he will probably not be able to get an airline flight from Washington, D.C., to this area in time to appear at the meeting after Congress concludes its Thursday session. But Sawyer said he will send a representative and a letter seeking the party's endorsement.
Sawyer is considered the front-runner among seven Democratic candidates running in the May 7 primary. He is the only candidate not from the Mahoning Valley in the Democratic primary.
Political analysts say that the six Valley candidates will fight it out for Mahoning and Trumbull votes, which have 58 percent of the district's residents, and that Sawyer will enjoy victories in Portage and Summit counties, which he has represented for years.
The Democratic primary winner will face state Rep. Ann Womer Benjamin, an Aurora Republican, in the November general election as well as anyone who files as an independent candidate by the May 6 filing deadline.
skolnick@vindy.com