McKelvey wants his Democratic job back

YOUNGSTOWN — Ex-Mahoning County Treasurer George M. McKelvey, who upset Democratic Party faithful with his 2004 endorsement of President Bush, is seeking the appointment by county Democratic precinct committee members to his old job.

McKelvey submitted a letter of interest Thursday for the vacant seat to county Democratic Chairwoman Lisa Antonini, who is running for the position.

Candidates for the seat officially vacated this week by John Reardon must send a letter of interest and a résumé by Monday to Kenneth Carano, the county Democratic Party’s executive vice chairman.

County Democratic precinct committee members will meet March 3 to select Reardon’s replacement.

Antonini, of Austintown, said she’ll submit her letter and résumé to Carano over the weekend. She will also give McKelvey’s letter to Carano.

McKelvey couldn’t be reached Wednesday to comment. But Antonini said McKelvey wrote in the letter that he has the experience and leadership to run the treasurer’s office.

McKelvey was first elected county treasurer in 1988 and served until January 1998, when he resigned after winning the first of his two terms as Youngstown mayor. McKelvey wasn’t permitted to run for a third mayoral term in 2005 because of the city’s term-limits law.

As the Democratic mayor of one of Ohio’s most Democratic cities, McKelvey attracted national attention in 2004 when he crossed party lines and publicly endorsed Bush. The decision resulted in public outrage by local and state Democratic officials.

Though Bush won the election and captured Ohio’s electoral votes, he fared poorly in Mahoning County.

McKelvey challenged county Commissioner David Ludt of Poland in last year’s Democratic primary. McKelvey lost, receiving less than 30 percent of the vote in the two-man race.

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