Williams noncommittal in governor's race
When it comes to endorsing a gubernatorial candidate, Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams is being cautious.
Less than five months on the job, the mayor doesn't want to commit to either U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland of Lisbon, the Democratic nominee, or Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell of Cincinnati, the Republican nominee.
Williams, a registered Democrat, won the mayoral race in November 2005 running as an independent with Mahoning County's Republican Party chairman being his largest campaign donor.
During that campaign, Mahoning Democratic leaders attempted to paint Williams as a Republican. Leading the charge at the time was state Sen. Robert F. Hagan, the Democratic nominee for mayor.
That Mahoning GOP Chairman Clarence R. Smith of Boardman's $20,000 contribution made up about 20 percent of the overall money raised by Williams for the race provided some merit to Hagan's claim.
Hagan also criticized Williams at the time for giving $25 to Blackwell, who won the bitter May 2 Republican primary to be his party's gubernatorial nominee in the November general election. Williams said he gave Blackwell the money because he was impressed with a speech delivered by the secretary of state at an event, and the $25 shouldn't be considered an endorsement.
Hagan, supported in the mayoral race by the party establishment, had a falling out with some Democratic leaders who didn't support him in the May 2 Democratic primary for the 60th Ohio House District seat. To his credit, Hagan, who won the primary, has buried the hatchet with those who didn't support him in the primary. Hagan is also working with Williams to help the city on the state level.
With the luxury of no general election opponent, Hagan can offer his support and assistance to Democratic candidates running in November. Hagan said at a Mahoning County Democratic "unity breakfast" last week that getting Strickland elected governor is the top priority of Ohio Democrats.
At the breakfast, Hagan said Democrats need to tell Williams that his "support of Strickland is important for the Democratic Party."
Williams voted for Strickland in the recent Democratic primary. Getting him to acknowledge that vote was a bit amusing. Williams acknowledged he voted in the Democratic gubernatorial primary and he didn't cast his ballot for ex-state Rep. Bryan Flannery of Strongsville, the only other Democrat seeking that job.
Williams recently met with Strickland to discuss urban issues. Williams' concern about Strickland is the congressman has never represented a major city and doesn't have first-hand knowledge about inner-city issues.
Blackwell has an understanding of inner-city issues as a former Cincinnati mayor and a councilman, Williams said. Williams wants to talk to Blackwell and then decide if he will endorse in this race, although he doubts right now that he will.
Williams says he doesn't "know how much weight an endorsement from" him would mean. A Williams endorsement would mean significantly more to Blackwell than to Strickland.
That is one reason why Strickland wants Williams' support, although he never asked for the mayor's endorsement during their meeting.
Big-city mayors endorsing Strickland include Mark Mallory in Cincinnati, Carty Finkbeiner in Toledo and Dean DiPiero in Parma. Strickland recently met with Columbus Mayor Mike Coleman, who withdrew from the gubernatorial primary and has a frosty relationship with the congressman. Strickland also met with mayors in Cleveland, Dayton and Akron. All these mayors are Democrats.
"The endorsements are being pursued," said Jess Goode, Strickland's campaign spokesman. "The endorsement of a mayor of any large city in Ohio should be earned. The fact that several mayors want to have a dialogue and discuss issues is productive."