65TH DISTRICT Voters discuss candidate names, not issues

Issues are not a priority with some of the voters in the race for the 65th House seat in Trumbull County.
By DENISE DICK
and TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
NILES -- Name recognition will most likely play a significant role in determining who will represent the 65th District in the Ohio House of Representatives.
With Anthony A. Latell Jr. of Girard, a Democrat, deciding not to seek a second term in the May 7 primary, opting for a run at the 17th District congressional seat instead, three Democrats are seeking to take his place.
The 65th District encompasses about half of Trumbull County. The other half is in the 64th and 99th Districts.
Seeking support: Vying for the party nod are Sandra Stabile Harwood of Niles, an attorney and hearing officer with the Trumbull Child Support Enforcement Agency; Joseph J. Melfi of Girard, office manager of the Trumbull County Auditor's Office; and Barry Profato, a former Niles councilman and clerk of courts.
James A. Calko Jr. of Lordstown, a college student at Youngstown State University majoring in political science, is the lone candidate on the Republican side.
Many people say they haven't yet versed themselves about the candidates, but planned to do so before they cast ballots.
They don't talk of the issues, only names.
If they had to go to the ballot box today?
"I'd vote for Joe Melfi," said Thomas G. Hobart, 69, of Lordstown. "He's a good friend of mine. I know him real well."
Joseph Scaglione, 58, of Girard, believes Melfi will win the nomination.
"The vote [from Niles] will be split [between Harwood and Profato] and put Melfi ahead because everyone from Girard will probably vote for him," Scaglione said.
Melfi served as a Girard councilman and mayor in the 1980s.
Maria Theofilos, of Lordstown, points to Calko as the candidate who will get her vote "because he's from Lordstown."
"I like Joe [Melfi]," said Joe Perone, 76, of Girard. "I think he'd do a good job. He's been in politics enough to know what's going on."
One view: Jane Tobias, 70, of Niles said she hasn't given the race much thought.
"I doubt if I'll bother to vote," she said. "I'm disenchanted with politics in this area. Traficant is the No. 1 thing to be disenchanted about."
She was referring to U.S. Rep. James A. Traficant Jr.'s racketeering trial in federal court in Cleveland.
Tobias, a native of East Liverpool, lived in New York City for several years, where she was active in politics. She moved to Niles about seven years ago.
"I've only voted in presidential elections" since then, Tobias said.
Bob Conner, 71, of Niles, says he'll likely cast his ballot for Profato because he recognizes the name. He hasn't researched the stands of the candidates on various issues but said he likely would before Election Day.
Connections: Katrine Hodak, a 21-year-old day-care worker from Lordstown, admits that she's not politically savvy. "I usually ask my father," she said.
Hodak suspects she'll vote for Profato because one of her girlfriends knows Profato "and she's a pretty good person."
While Hodak was visiting a friend at the BP service station in Lordstown, Don Miller, 48, or Lordstown, was pumping gas.
If he had to vote now, he'd cast his ballot for Melfi, although Miller said he dislikes politicians who hang on to political jobs.
Although Miller, an independent steel hauler, doesn't know Melfi's positions on issues, Melfi's name is more familiar to him.
Henry DeAngelis, a 57-year-old body shop owner, has decided on casting his vote for Melfi, saying, "I know the Melfis pretty good."
As for Profato, he won't get DeAngelis' consideration.
"I don't know the guy. He might be a pretty good guy," DeAngelis said while walking into the Jib Jab Hot Dog Shoppe in Girard.
As for 86-year-old Mary Henry of Niles, she doesn't know anything about the candidates.
Henry, who was leaving the Niles Senior Citizens Center, said she suspects she'll be more familiar with the candidates by primary time by talking to family and friends and reading the newspaper.
yovich@vindy.com
dick@vindy.com