Lack of candidates frustrates Trumbull County GOP

By Ed Runyan

The county GOP needs to nurture more candidates, says a Republican running for the Ohio House.

WARREN — During the fall campaign, whenever local television stations broadcast political advertisements for local candidates, voters have heard names such as Marty Yavorcik, David Aey and Judge Scott Hunter.

Those are the names of candidates for prosecutor, sheriff and probate court judge in Mahoning County.

But some Trumbull County voters may be wondering where the political ads for Trumbull offices are. For the first time since at least 2000, there are essentially none.

County Commissioner Paul Heltzel, a Democrat, has an opponent, write-in candidate David C. Cook, on Tuesday.

It’s not much better when you consider the races for state representative, where candidates are running but not spending much money to mount a serious challenge against Democrat incumbents.

Incumbent state Sen. Capri Cafaro of Hubbard, D-32nd, has no opponent.

According to the Trumbull County Board of Elections Web site, county voters did have choices for several county offices in the 2004 general election, when Republican Michael Colello got 31 percent of the vote against Heltzel, and Philip O. DeCapito got 29 percent of the vote against Democrat Dan Polivka in two county commissioner races. Republican opponents got nearly 30 percent of the vote in races for county treasurer and clerk of courts, as well.

During the 2000 general election, Republicans attracted around 30 percent of the vote in two races for county commissioner, plus clerk of courts and county recorder.

Dr. Thomas Montgomery, a Cortland Republican chiropractor running against Democrat incumbent Thomas Letson for the 64th District state representative seat, is one of several county residents who have run for county office over the past eight years as a way to give voters options in November. He ran for county commissioner against Michael O’Brien in November 2000, securing 32 percent of the vote.

“I’m so frustrated with the lack of a two-party system,” Montgomery said. He blames the cost of running, complicated rules and paperwork, and local Republican leadership as reasons more people don’t run. “The party needs to nurture more candidates,” he said.

Montgomery admits he didn’t devote a lot of time and money on his current campaign but says he may do more of that in future years, as he moves closer to retirement from his practice.

Craig Bonar, county Republican Party chairman, set a goal 10 years ago when he became chairman of having a candidate for every countywide race, but he gave up that goal after about six years on the advice of state Republican leaders.

Bonar said because of the county’s blue-collar work force, Republicans make up only 9.5 percent of registered voters.

“It’s unfortunate, but we have to tell people they did a good job if they get 40 percent of the vote,” Bonar said. It’s hard to recruit candidates under those conditions, he said.

At this stage, Bonar said, the party is focusing its resources on state offices, such as Montgomery’s contest with Letson, Lyle Waddell’s race against Sandra Stabile Harwood in the 65th District, and Tom Nizen’s race against Deborah Newcomb for the 99th District seat that covers several townships in northern Trumbull County.

runyan@vindy.com