Williams hesitates on endorsement

The mayor said he has concerns with both gubernatorial candidates.
YOUNGSTOWN -- State Sen. Robert F. Hagan says Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams needs to publicly support the candidacy of U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland, the Democratic Party's gubernatorial nominee.
Williams isn't ready to support either Strickland or Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell, the Republican gubernatorial nominee, and doubts at this time that he'll make an endorsement in this race.
A registered Democrat who won the mayoral race last year as an independent, Williams said he will listen to both and vote for the best candidate.
"I don't know how much weight an endorsement from Jay Williams has," he said.
At a Mahoning Democratic "unity breakfast" Friday, Hagan said, "We need to go to Jay Williams and say his support of Strickland is important for the Democratic Party."
Hagan won the May 2 Democratic primary for the 60th Ohio House District seat and faces no opposition for the position in the general election.
Hagan lost the mayoral race to Williams. The day before the November general election, Hagan criticized Williams for giving a $25 contribution to Blackwell. Williams said he made the contribution after attending an event with Blackwell as a speaker and was impressed with what he heard. Williams said the $25 didn't constitute an endorsement or support of Blackwell's gubernatorial candidacy.
No hard feelings
Hagan and Williams say there are no hard feelings between them as a result of the mayoral campaign. Hagan said Williams already has visited his state Senate office in Columbus twice, and as a state legislator, he wants to continue to work with the mayor to help Youngstown.
Hagan said ex-Mayor George M. McKelvey, who finished eight years in the post Dec. 31, 2005, never visited his office.
The top priority of Ohio Democrats this year is to get Strickland elected, according to Hagan, Mahoning County Democratic Chairwoman Lisa Antonini and other local Democratic officials.
Williams said Strickland visited him at city hall a few weeks ago. Strickland is speaking to the mayors of larger cities to formulate his urban agenda, Williams said.
"He did more listening than talking and was interested in what I had to say," Williams said.
The mayor said Strickland didn't ask for his endorsement during their meeting. Williams would welcome a meeting with Blackwell.
Williams says both gubernatorial candidates have good ideas, but he has concerns about the two.
Comparison
Blackwell's support of a constitutional amendment on the November ballot to restrict government spending could cause problems getting tax levies passed on the state and local levels, Williams said. As for Strickland, of Lisbon, Williams said the congressman has never represented a major city.
"He's familiar with rural poverty, but inner-city issues have unique characteristics," Williams said. "I don't know if he has a full awareness of urban issues."
As a former Cincinnati mayor and councilman, Blackwell understands inner-city issues, Williams said.
If Williams had to call the race today, he says Strickland is the favorite and will do exceptionally well in the Mahoning Valley.
"There is a strong indication that Ted Strickland will be the next governor," he said. "I think he's building momentum from his primary win based on what I've seen."
Strickland's congressional district includes Columbiana County and a portion of Mahoning County. He defeated ex-state Rep. Bryan Flannery in the May 2 primary.
The goal in November is to get 65 percent to 70 percent of the vote in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties for Strickland with high voter turnout, Mahoning Democrats say.
Blackwell beat Attorney General Jim Petro in the Republican primary.