Walter seeking Ryan's position

Three other candidates have filed to run as independents in other races.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Randy Walter is going to give running for the 17th Congressional District yet another go.
Walter, of 6924 Gibson Road, Canfield, a real estate developer, submitted nominating petitions by Monday's deadline to run for the seat as an independent candidate.
This is the fourth time Walter has filed nominating petitions to run for the two-year congressional seat. His previous bids have failed.
Walter finished a distant third in 2000 as an independent with 22 percent of the vote in a race won by then-U.S. Rep. James A. Traficant Jr., who is now a federal prisoner.
In 2002, Walter filed to run for the seat in the Democratic primary. He later withdrew before the primary, saying the field was too crowded and there were a few good candidates in the race.
Walter submitted nominating petitions in 2004 to seek the seat as an independent. Walter needed 1,844 valid signatures to be on the ballot. He submitted petitions with 1,943 signatures, but about 38 percent were ruled invalid, and Walter was not permitted to run.
Requirements
Walter still needs 1,844 valid signatures to run as an independent for the seat this year. He submitted petitions Monday with 3,469 signatures. The county boards of elections in the 17th District -- Trumbull, Mahoning, Portage and Summit -- must review the validity of the signatures before Walter can be certified as a candidate.
At the Feb. 16 deadline for candidates to file to run in today's partisan primary, U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, a Niles Democrat who's seeking his third term as the 17th District representative, had no opposition.
"I love the Mahoning Valley and we can do so much better than we are," Walter said. "I ran six years ago and we've had no significant progress since then. We can be really awesome if we can get some leadership. I don't see the leadership" from Ryan.
Besides Walter's independent bid, Don Manning of Cortland filed by the March 13 deadline to run as a Republican write-in for the congressional seat. Manning needs to get at least 50 votes today to be on the November ballot as his party's nominee in the race.
Also Monday, Jamael Tito Brown of 2242 Ohio Ave., a Youngstown school board member, filed nominating petitions to run as an independent candidate for Mahoning County commissioner.
If Brown's petitions are certified, he would face the winner of today's Democratic primary between Commissioner David Ludt of Poland, a two-term incumbent, and ex-Youngstown Mayor George M. McKelvey. The Republicans don't have a candidate seeking this position.
Brown, a Democrat, said he plans to vote in today's Democratic primary for either Ludt or McKelvey but wouldn't say who is getting his vote.
Brown, a community organizer for Youngstown State University's Center for Urban and Regional Studies since July 2002, said his candidacy is supported by Democrats and Republicans.
"I hope I can build a bridge between the two and that this race will bring them together," he said. "We have the old-style way of thinking, and we need new innovative ideas and thoughts."
In Columbiana County
Two candidates have filed to run as independents for Columbiana County commissioner in November.
They are:
David Cranmer of 5984 state Route 45, Lisbon. The former Salem firefighter and one-term Democratic commissioner was defeated in 2002 by Republican Gary Williams.
Paul Cagot Jr. of 16709 Irish Ridge Road, East Liverpool. He's run unsuccessfully for several offices, most recently in 2005 as a write-in candidate for an unexpired seat on the East Liverpool Board of Education.
Williams is seeking a second term and is being challenged by Democrat Daniel Bing of 307 E. High St., Lisbon, in November.
skolnick@vindy.com
Contributor: D.A. Wilkinson, Vindicator Salem Bureau.