OHIO POLITICS Official praises Valley's strategy

Democrats are looking at Columbiana County's Ohio House seat.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Ohio House Minority Leader Chris Redfern likes what he sees politically in the Mahoning Valley.
The Valley is one of the few bright spots for Democrats in Ohio, and Redfern, House Democratic leader since January, plans to use the party's success achieved here on a statewide level.
"There's no stronger delegation than the Valley," said Redfern of Catawba Island, D-80th. "We can build upon the success in the Mahoning Valley throughout the state, especially in northeast Ohio. We can use the strategy and success here and replicate it across the state. We can use the success here and adapt it."
Redfern was in the Valley for an Ohio House Democratic fund-raiser Monday in Boardman that raised about $25,000.
Democrats need to raise money to compete with Republicans, who control every statewide office, except two Supreme Court seats, and have strong majorities in the Ohio House and Senate.
Recruiting candidates
Redfern, serving his third term in the House, is actively recruiting Democratic candidates to run next year. Republicans have a 62-37 majority in the House.
"The ability to raise money is one of the unfortunate qualities that one has to look for in a candidate," he said. "I say unfortunate because often times fund raising drives campaigns. We should be spending more time talking about ideas instead of raising money, but it's the reality."
While making no pie-in-the-sky promises about taking control of the Ohio House next year, Redfern said Republicans are vulnerable because of recent tax increases they pushed through the Legislature.
"One-party rule with little in the way of priorities is a recipe for disaster," he said. "A lot of folks have suggested the Democrats do what the Republicans did 10-12 years ago. [Democrats] became arrogant and intoxicated with our own power. We lost focus and Republican took advantage. We're trying to do the same thing."
Local House Democrats are being asked to nurture potential candidates and help them with campaign strategies, Redfern said.
Praise for abilities
In particular, Redfern praised the political and/or leadership abilities of state Reps. Sylvester D. Patton Jr. of Youngstown, D-60th; John Boccieri of New Middletown, D-61st; and Sandra Stabile Harwood of Niles, D-65th.
Among the seats being targeted next year by Democrats to take back from Republicans is the one held by two-term state Rep. Charles Blasdel of East Liverpool, R-1st, Redfern said. The focus is on Republican-controlled seats in districts that are either in Democratic areas or were held in recent years by Democrats.
"We've got to take a look at that Columbiana County seat," Redfern said about Blasdel. "That's a seat that should be held by a Democrat. It was taken for granted when Sean Logan [former state representative and current Columbiana County commissioner] left. We felt we didn't have to invest the time and money into the district because it would vote Democratic. You can't take anything for granted."
skolnick@vindy.com