Scramble is on for Boccieri’s Senate seat
Should John Boccieri be successful in his congressional race in November there are already a number of people interested in replacing him in the state Senate.
Among those looking at the 33rd Ohio Senate District seat are:
State Rep. Ronald Gerberry of Austintown, D-59th;
Mahoning County Commissioner John McNally IV of Youngstown;
Boardman Trustee Robyn Gallitto; and Alliance Councilman Steve Okey, brother of state Rep. Mark Okey of Carrollton, D-61st.
Gerberry and McNally face opposition in their re-election bids in November. But both are favored to retain those seats.
Not wanting to let their political ambitions turn off voters, both are saying the right things.
Gerberry is “focused on my re-election.” But if Boccieri is elected to the 16th Congressional District seat in November, Gerberry said he’d “look at things as they develop.”
The same for McNally.
“I’m interested in getting re-elected as commissioner first,” he said. “John [Boccieri] has a good chance to win. I’ve got a race to get through this fall.”
The translation of what Gerberry and McNally said? “I want to be elected in November and I want that state Senate seat. But I can’t say it officially now.”
Elected as a Boardman trustee in 2005, Gallitto doesn’t have to seek re-election until next year. That gives her the luxury of being direct about her intentions.
“I’m interested in that seat,” she said. “I’d like to get involved [in government] at a larger level...It would be a great opportunity to make a difference on a larger level.”
The 33rd Ohio Senate District includes all of Mahoning and Carroll counties as well as small portions of Stark and Tuscarawas counties. Mahoning makes up about 80 percent of the district’s population.
Because of that percentage, Okey’s chances of replacing Boccieri — assuming the latter wins his congressional race — are reduced.
Okey’s brother, Mark, hasn’t expressed interest in the position.
Robert F. Hagan of Youngstown, D-60th and the other state House member in the 33rd Senate District can’t run for the seat.
Hagan held that job until Dec. 31, 2006. The state’s term-limits law doesn’t permit him to seek the seat if Boccieri vacates it.
Gallitto unsuccessfully ran earlier this month in that district for Democratic state central committeewoman. The job entails representing a state Senate district at Ohio Democratic Party meetings, and helping to set the party’s policies and priorities.
Despite the loss, Gallitto said it doesn’t mean she’s not a viable candidate for the Senate seat. Gallitto said she didn’t campaign outside of Mahoning, got into the race late and it’s a Democratic Party position and not a legislative one.
McNally ran for the district’s Democratic state central committeeman position, losing a close race to Hagan.
Early favorite
At this point, the early favorite to replace Boccieri is Gerberry.
The selection process favors him.
The local Democratic parties in each of the district’s counties recommend up to three people for the job to the Democratic members of the Ohio Senate.
As a longtime legislator, Gerberry will definitely be among the top three from at least Mahoning, the county with the most weight when it comes to filling that position.
The candidates are interviewed by a committee of Ohio Senate Democrats, who make a recommendation. Then the entire Senate Democratic Caucus votes.
Because Gerberry has been around Columbus for years, Senate Democrats know him very well. Some of them served with Gerberry in the House.
The caucus wants those appointed to Senate seats to have enough money to run their own campaigns and to win.
Gerberry has proven he can do both.
If there’s this much interest in the seat already it will increase if Boccieri wins.
Boccieri, a New Middletown Democrat, is running in the 16th Congressional District race against state Sen. J. Kirk Schuring of Canton, R-29th.