Antonini tabling Dem top post

The original plan collapsed.

By DAVID SKOLNICK

VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER

YOUNGSTOWN — Mahoning County Democratic Chairwoman Lisa Antonini is temporarily relinquishing her responsibilities of leading the party to focus on retaining her spot as county treasurer in next year’s election.

The question is who will temporarily replace Antonini, who has no intention of resigning?

The original answer was Kenneth A. Carano, the party’s executive vice president and the governor’s regional director for the Mahoning Valley.

Earlier Friday, Carano and Antonini said the move was finalized and was to take effect today. Carano said he got the go-ahead from the governor’s office.

But after The Vindicator called Gov. Ted Strickland’s office to confirm that, the deal not only fell through, Carano is resigning as the county party’s executive vice president.

Carano said after the newspaper’s inquiry, he spoke to John Haseley, Strickland’s chief of staff, about the move in further detail.

“Ethically, there’s nothing wrong with me working for the party,” Carano said. “The problem is my job [with Strickland] is enlarging and will include more night work.”

Carano had planned to handle the county party responsibilities at night after he was done with his state job.

“Practically, it may be a conflict of interest,” he said about holding the two positions at the same time.

Further discussions with Haseley about being executive vice president, the party’s No. 2 spot, led to a mutual decision for Carano to resign from that position as well.

“Lisa will have to find someone to be executive vice chair and to replace her on an interim basis,” Carano said. “I like my job, and I don’t want any conflicts with the governor.”

Keith Dailey, a Strickland spokesman, confirmed Haseley and Carano came to a mutual decision Friday. Dailey stressed there is nothing ethically wrong with Carano’s involvement in the party, but it was best that he not lead it, even on an interim basis.

Antonini, chairwoman since 2002, was surprised by the decision but understands it.

Antonini plans to talk to members of the party’s executive committee shortly and ask some of them to “step up and take care of the day-to-day operations.”

Antonini still plans to step aside on a temporary basis shortly. She also has to find a new executive vice president.

The main reason for the change, Antonini said, is she will be spending her nonworking hours campaigning for county treasurer, a job Mahoning County Democratic precinct committee members appointed her to in March.

There are a number of meetings among Ohio Democratic officials in Columbus leading up to the March 4 primary, and then after that in preparation of the Nov. 4, 2008, general election.

“I will not be available to handle scheduling, programs, problems and meetings dealing with the primary and general elections for local, county, state and national offices,” Antonini said.

Also, she plans to seek the county party’s endorsement and help others obtain that support, so she thought it best to step away to avoid a perception of a conflict of interest.

The county party will have endorsement meetings around Jan. 10. The filing deadline for the Democratic primary is Jan. 4.

After the March 4 primary, the chairmanship situation will be re-evaluated, Antonini said.

“I would assume the Republicans will try to find someone to run against me, and there may be independent candidates,” she said.

If that’s the case, the temporary leave could stretch to the November 2008 election, she said.

skolnick@vindy.com