ON THE SIDE. . .

ON THE SIDE. . .
This and that from the world of Valley politics.
NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT: A recent edition of "The Connection," a program on National Public Radio, included comments from Mark Munroe, Mahoning County Republican vice chairman and the county board of elections chairman, about Ohio's being a key battleground state in the presidential election. Munroe also discussed the Bush-Cheney campaign's get-out-the-vote effort in the Buckeye State.
Like father? David J. Gerchak, son of the late Judge Michael Gerchak, is planning to challenge Judge David D'Apolito of Mahoning County Court in the nonpartisan court race in November. Gerchak hasn't filed his petitions with the county board of elections, but the deadline isn't until Aug. 19. Gerchak participated in the Austintown Fourth of July Parade with a sign on a vehicle urging people to vote for him for county court judge.
Among the endorsed are state Sen. Marc Dann, and state Reps. Kenneth Carano, Sylvester D. Patton, John Boccieri, Sandra Stabile Harwood and George Distel. Hometowns don't seem to be the association's area of expertise. The organization lists Carano's hometown as Youngstown, instead of Austintown; Boccieri's hometown as North Middletown, instead of New Middletown, and Dann's hometown as Youngstown, instead of Liberty. In the association's defense, the mailing addresses of Carano and Dann could be Youngstown. But there's no North Middletown in Ohio.
skolnick@vindy.com