OHIO SENATE Field for Ryan's job narrowed to 5

By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
WARREN -- Ohio Senate Democrats plan to select a replacement for Tim Ryan no later than Dec. 12.
The 10-member Democratic caucus have five candidates to consider for the 32nd Senate District after Trumbull County Democratic Party precinct committee members recommended three people for the seat.
Marc Dann of Liberty, the top vote-getter among Trumbull Democrats, was already a finalist for the post because Ashtabula County Democrats recommended him as one of their three choices for the job.
Joining Dann, a Liberty school board member, as Trumbull's recommended candidates are Warren Councilman-at large Dan Polivka and Girard Councilman John Moliterno.
The Ashtabula candidates, besides Dann, are Joseph Varckette, a former Ashtabula city manager, and state Rep. L. George Distel.
Trumbull makes up 75 percent of the Senate District's population, with the rest coming from Ashtabula.
Senate Minority Leader Greg DiDonato, who is spearheading the effort to find a replacement for Ryan, says he and the three other members of the Senate Democratic Caucus' leadership will interview the five finalists as early as Dec. 5.
What happens next
Either one or two finalists will be recommended to the other six Democrats in the state Senate, DiDonato said, and all 10 Democratic state senators will vote on a replacement for Ryan, who is resigning from the post next month to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives.
A choice will be made no later than Dec. 12, the last day of this year's Senate session, DiDonato said. Several members will go on vacation after Dec. 12, so it would be difficult to select a replacement after that date, DiDonato said.
Democratic insiders say Dann, who got 42 percent of the vote in an 11-candidate field, is the favorite to get the selection, with his closest rival being Moliterno.
"I worked as hard in this race as I will in the state Senate," Dann said. "There's a lot of work to be done still, but I think I have a good chance."
Polivka said he believes when the senators compare his 18 years of elected service to the other candidates seeking this office, he will be selected.
Moliterno said he believes his background and experience will prove to be the deciding factors when the state senators select a replacement for Ryan.
DiDonato said he has attempted to keep his distance from the process, but admitted it is impressive that Dann was selected by Democrats in both counties.
"What will impress the members the most is when the candidates come down and answer the tough questions," DiDonato said.
There were originally 14 Trumbull candidates for the job, but three -- John Mintus, John Hunter and Thomas J. Hannon -- withdrew before Tuesday's vote.
The person selected to replace Ryan will fill the outgoing state senator's unexpired term through December 2004.