2 Dem panels give opinions on successor for Marc Dann

The caucus will fill the two vacancies Nov. 28.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
WARREN -- Trumbull and Ashtabula counties' Democratic executive committees recommended in separate votes that the Democratic Senate Caucus select a state House member, an ex-state legislator or a two-time congressional candidate to replace Marc Dann in the Ohio Senate.
Trumbull's committee voted Friday after hearing brief speeches from five candidates. Ashtabula Democrats met Thursday without asking any candidates to speak. Both bodies came to the same conclusion.
Those recommended are:
State Rep. Sandra Stabile Harwood of Niles, D-65th, who won her third Ohio House term last week.
Ex-state Sen. Anthony A. Latell Jr. of Girard, who also served in the Ohio House and as a Trumbull County commissioner, Girard council president and city councilman.
Capri Cafaro of Liberty, who unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. House this year and in 2004, and serves on the Trumbull County Senior Services Advisory Council.
Also seeking Trumbull's recommendation and not receiving it were former Warren Councilwoman Sherry Cox-Calloway and Matthew J. Cataline of Hubbard.
The party chairmen wouldn't give the total number of votes for the candidates and didn't rank them in any particular order.
Interview set
The four-person Democratic Senate leadership team will interview the candidates Nov. 27 and make a single recommendation to the incoming 10-member Democratic Senate Caucus a day later.
"The real battle will be down there," Stabile Harwood said of the caucus vote.
"We're going to put our best foot forward, and the 10 [caucus members] will look to see who's the best candidate," Latell added.
The caucus will not participate in the interview process, said Amanda Conn, the caucus' spokeswoman. The caucus will debate the leadership's recommendation and then give an up or down vote, she said. If the No. 1 selection is rejected, the caucus then considers the leadership team's second choice, she said.
"You rarely vote against the No. 1 choice," said state Sen.-elect John Boccieri of New Middletown, one of the caucus members with a vote.
Remainder of term
The winner gets to fill out the remaining two years on Dann's Senate term. The 32nd Ohio Senate District includes all of Trumbull and Ashtabula counties. Trumbull has about twice the voters Ashtabula has.
Dann, of Liberty is vacating the seat because he is the Ohio attorney general-elect. Dann, various labor organizations, and Warren Mayor Michael O'Brien are endorsing Cafaro.
"I'm honored to have an opportunity to make my case to the Democratic Senate Caucus and be judged on my merit," Cafaro said.
The Democratic Senate leadership team will follow the same time schedule in replacing outgoing state Sen. Charlie Wilson of St. Clairsville, D-30th, who is leaving the legislative body next month after winning the 6th Congressional District race. The 30th includes all of Columbiana, the largest county in the five-county district.
The finalists for that seat are:
Anthony Trevena of Guilford Lake, who's worked for Gov.-elect Ted Strickland. Local legislators say Trevena is the favorite to get the appointment.
Jason Wilson of Sunset Heights, Wilson's son.
State Rep. Allen Sayre of Dover, elected last week to a second state House term.