30th District front-runner withdraws

The caucus will make the appointments today.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
Anthony Trevena, considered the front-runner to replace Charlie Wilson in the 30th Ohio Senate District, withdrew his name from the appointment process to take a position in the incoming Gov. Ted Strickland administration.
Trevena, of Guilford Lake, who's worked for Strickland since 2002, said Strickland and John Haseley, the incoming governor's chief of staff, asked him last week to not seek the Senate vacancy and to join the governor-elect's administration.
Trevena said the administrative post wasn't determined as of Monday, but "it would be a fairly significant position. I don't think they'd ask me to step away from seeking a Senate seat" if the position wasn't important.
Trevena has a master's degree in business administration from Youngstown State University, and had served as vice president of the Mahoning Valley's Better Business Bureau.
"I never expected anything in return or a job for helping Ted," said Trevena, who is currently assisting with planning Strickland's inauguration.
Candidate interviews
Senate Democratic leaders interviewed candidates Monday for about 30 to 45 minutes each for the 30th and the 32nd Ohio Senate Districts.
Wilson, of St. Clairsville, was elected earlier this month to represent the 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House, a seat currently held by Strickland, of Lisbon. State Sen. Marc Dann, a Liberty Democrat, is vacating the 32nd District seat because voters elected him state attorney general in the Nov. 7 election. There are two years left on both terms.
The leaders will present their No. 1 choices for both seats today to the incoming 10-member Democratic Senate Caucus for a vote.
Columbiana is the most populated among the five counties in the 30th District. The district also includes all of Jefferson, Belmont and Harrison counties and most of Tuscarawas County.
State Rep. Allen Sayre of Dover, D-96th, another finalist for the 30th, also withdrew from consideration.
Three endorsed
The two withdrawals left three candidates endorsed by the Democratic parties in the district's five counties for the appointment. Candidates needed to be endorsed by at least one county Democratic Party in the district to be interviewed for the posts.
They are:
Jason Wilson of Sunset Heights, Wilson's son. Wilson is perhaps best known for getting fired by his father earlier this year when the congressional campaign failed to get 50 valid signatures. That forced Wilson's father to run an expensive and successful write-in campaign. After his meeting with Democratic leaders, Wilson said: "I think it went well. It was a good discussion."
Belmont County Commissioner Mark Thomas, a former St. Clairsville law director and councilman. Thomas said his interview went well.
State Rep. John Domenick of Smithfield, D-95th, recently elected to his third two-year term in the House. Domenick sounded more curious than serious about the appointment, saying he spoke to the Democratic leaders to find out more information about the Senate appointment.
Additional candidates
Because of the two withdrawals, the caucus asked the county chairs in the 30th District for additional candidates.
Those candidates are:
Nick Barborak of Lisbon, an assistant Columbiana County prosecutor who serves as legal adviser to the county's board of elections. He ordered that a hearing last month by the board regarding questions about Strickland's residency be canceled. He withdrew as a candidate for the 1st Ohio House District seat when county Treasurer Linda Bolon declared her candidacy. She was elected.
Christopher Gagin of Steubenville, an attorney at a Bridgeport law firm who worked on Charlie Wilson's congressional campaign. He is the Dillonvale Village solicitor and a former assistant prosecutor in Jefferson and Harrison counties.
Sandy Cox, a 15-year New Philadelphia councilwoman.
32nd District
Democratic leadership also interviewed the three finalists Monday for Dann's seat. The 32nd District includes all of Trumbull and Ashtabula counties.
They are:
State Rep. Sandra Stabile Harwood of Niles, D-65th, who won her third Ohio House term Nov. 7. Harwood said she felt "pretty confident" that each candidate would be judged on their merits.
Capri Cafaro of Liberty, who unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. House this year and in 2004, and is endorsed for the seat by Dann. "I think it went well," she said after the interview. "It was a wonderful opportunity to share views. We'll just have to wait and see."
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. He lost the 2002 Democratic primary for the 17th Congressional District and has been out of politics since then.
Contributor: Correspondent Jeff Ortega
skolnick@vindy.com