13 remain in running to succeed Boccieri

By David Skolnick

The Democratic caucus will announce its selection for the 33rd Ohio Senate District on Thursday or Friday.

It took just a few hours for Ohio Senate Democratic leaders to cut the list of 29 candidates seeking to replace outgoing state Sen. John Boccieri to seven.

The Ohio Senate Democratic Caucus’ four-person leadership team will interview the seven today and Wednesday as well as six candidates selected earlier by the four county Democratic parties in the 33rd Ohio Senate District.

Of the seven additional candidates, Boardman Trustee Robyn Gallitto is the only one who’s a current officeholder.

Rufus Hudson, an ex-Youngstown 2nd Ward councilman, is the only former officeholder on the list.

The only other candidate to get an interview who has run for political office is Susan Maruca.

Despite spending more than $100,000, Maruca finished a distant last in the three-person Mahoning County Probate Court Democratic primary in March.

The four other finalists — William H. Adams, David B. Green, Eileen Gilmartin and Joe Schiavoni — have never run for office.

Ohio Senate Democratic leaders discussed the 29 additional applicants late Friday, shortly after the deadline to file letters of interest and r sum s for the post, with the office of outgoing Senate Minority Leader Ray Miller of Columbus, D-15th.

“We have good talent to pick from,” said incoming Senate Minority Leader Capri Cafaro of Liberty, D-32nd, a member of the caucus’s leadership who’s in charge of the selection process.

The candidates must have the potential to be good public servants, be electable, have the ability to raise money, have “political acumen” and “involvement in the community,” Cafaro said.

After interviewing the finalists, the leadership team will present its top candidate to the rest of the caucus Thursday. The 11-member caucus will then select Boccieri’s replacement. The caucus will announce the appointment Thursday or Friday.

Boccieri is leaving at the end of the month for a seat in the U.S. House. The person selected to replace him will serve the rest of Boccieri’s term, which expires Dec. 31, 2010.

The caucus reopened the process after receiving recommendations for six candidates by the county Democratic parties in Boccieri’s 33rd Ohio Senate District.

Mahoning, the largest county in terms of population in the district, had recommended ex-county Commissioner David Engler, a county educational service center board member; Struthers Councilman at large Daniel Yemma, chief deputy treasurer of the county treasurer’s office; and Poland Trustee Robert Lidle.

Sources close to the caucus say some members had concerns about Engler and Lidle because of past legal problems.

Gallitto, Hudson and Adams unsuccessfully sought the recommendations of Mahoning Democrats.

“We see how it unfolded and [the caucus] reopened the process,” Gallitto said. “I don’t think it matters that I didn’t get the endorsement. I’m excited to have the opportunity to have an interview.”

Adams, critical of the Mahoning Democratic selection process, said reopening the search gives the caucus a more complete list of candidates.

Adams, Green and Schiavoni said never running for elected office won’t hurt their chances.

“I’ve been in a position of serving my membership,” Green said of six years of leadership for the United Auto Workers Local 1714 at the General Motors complex in Lordstown. “Obviously I think it would be a great opportunity. I’d be able to help people in the Valley.”

Schiavoni said: “It looks like a great opportunity and it gives me a great shot to help the area out.”

skolnick@vindy.com