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Gerberry decides to stay in House
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State Sen. John Boccieri of Alliance, D-33rd
Ronald Gerberry’s withdrawal leaves the race wide open.
State Rep. Ronald Gerberry, considered the front-runner to be appointed to a state Senate seat that is soon to be vacant, is no longer interested in the job.
Gerberry, of Austintown, D-59th, told The Vindicator on Sunday that he won’t seek the appointment.
“I’m staying in the House,” he said. “I’ve really thought about it. If I sought the appointment, I’d get it. But I thought, ‘Where could I do the best for my district?’”
That place, Gerberry said, is the House, where he is the most senior Democrat, serving for about 20 years.
The Democrats gained control of the House in last week’s election. Democrats made no gain in the state Senate, controlled 21-12 by Republicans.
“Staying in the House and being in the majority, I can do far more for my district,” Gerberry said. “It’s in the best interest of my community to stay in the House.”
Gerberry’s decision Sunday comes after telling the newspaper Wednesday, the day after being elected to the Ohio House, that he was “definitely leaning toward seeking the appointment” in the Senate.
At the time, Gerberry said he expected to make a final decision in five days.
But just a day later, Gerberry said he was going to run as a candidate for the 33rd Ohio Senate District seat.
Gerberry said Sunday that he rushed his decision because he “felt pressure from other media sources” as a result of first telling The Vindicator.
Gerberry expects to be appointed chairman of a House committee. He hasn’t decided yet which committee chairmanships interest him.
With Gerberry out of the picture, the selection process is completely wide open.
The Ohio Senate Democratic Caucus makes the final decision after receiving recommendations from the Democratic Party chairmen in the 33rd District. Mahoning is clearly the largest county in the district that also includes all of Carroll County and portions of Stark and Tuscarawas counties.
Steve Okey, an Alliance councilman at-large, is the only announced candidate for the Senate seat.
Mahoning County Commissioner John A. McNally IV has said seeking the appointment is something he’s considering.
Anthony Traficanti, a fellow county commissioner, said various people have asked him to seek the appointment, but he’s leaning toward not doing so.
Boardman Trustee Robyn Gallitto is also giving consideration to seeking the appointment.
The caucus hasn’t set a timetable for replacing state Sen. John Boccieri, who will vacate the Senate seat late next month.
Boccieri won the 16th Congressional District race last week. Boccieri recently moved from New Middletown in Mahoning County to Alliance in Stark County. The latter community is in the 16th District, while New Middletown is not.
This is the third time Gerberry announced plans to run for the state Senate only to withdraw his name from consideration shortly thereafter.
The two other times came in 2002 and 2006.
“I’ve been accused of jumping offices, but I’ve only held three elected offices,” he said.
Besides his time in the state House, Gerberry was Mahoning County recorder and served as a member of the Austintown Board of Education over the past 30 years.
skolnick@vindy.com