There’s no scramble for Ohio Senate seat

By David Skolnick

Upon further review, a number of Mahoning County politicians have decided that being a state senator isn’t that appealing.

With Democrat John Boccieri resigning as the 33rd District’s state senator next month to serve in Congress, the Ohio Democratic Senate Caucus will appoint someone to fill the remaining two years on his four-year term.

Mahoning is easily the largest county in the district in terms of population. Because of that, Mahoning County Democratic officials say the state senator for the 33rd District should come from their county.

The problem is politicians with name recognition who’ve looked at the seat, including state Rep. Ronald Gerberry and county Commissioners John McNally and Anthony Traficanti, are no longer interested in the appointment.

The Democrat selected as state senator will be part of the minority party in the legislative body. Republicans control the Senate 21-12.

Democrats took control of Ohio’s executive branch in 2006 and picked up one seat in the Senate.

Democrats took over the Ohio House after 14 years of Republican control in the recent election, the state’s electoral votes went to a Democrat presidential nominee for the first time since 1996, and the party didn’t pick up any seats in the Senate.

Incoming Minority Leader Capri Cafaro, D-32nd, of Liberty, and the Senate’s leadership team — including incoming Assistant Minority Whip Jason Wilson, D-30th, of Columbiana — have a real challenge ahead of them preparing for the 2010 election.

But they must first select Boccieri’s replacement. Cafaro’s vote will almost assuredly determine who gets the appointment.

That person is expected to be from Mahoning County.

As it stands right now, that might be a tough sell.

Boardman Trustee Robyn Gallitto and Poland Trustee Robert Lidle are seeking the appointment.

No offense to either, but the caucus is looking for someone with stronger name recognition and the ability to get elected in 2010 without any financial assistance. Actually the caucus wants someone who can easily win in this heavily Democrat district and contribute money to help Democratic candidates in more competitive Senate areas.

The 33rd District also includes all of Carroll County and small portions of Stark and Tuscarawas counties.

Carroll County Democrats are supporting Brian R. Thomas of Perrysville in Carroll County. He fared poorly in the 2004 race for the 18th Congressional District seat, and has no shot at getting the Senate appointment.

Tuscarawas Democrats don’t have a candidate in the race, and even if they did, it wouldn’t matter.

Stark County Democratic Chairman Johnnie Maier had high praise for Alliance Councilman-at-Large Steve Okey, who is seeking the appointment.

Okey could be a formidable candidate for the seat. While Okey doesn’t have much elected experience, he’s served as treasurer of Boccieri’s congressional committee and his brother, Mark, replaced Boccieri in the Ohio House about two years ago.

A once well-known Mahoning County politician is quietly — well, not that quietly because even I found out about it — contacting Democrats in the state Legislature to discuss the appointment.

That person is ex-Mahoning County Commissioner David Engler, who mysteriously resigned from the job in 1999.

Engler’s name surfaces every few years when there are vacancies.

He told me in 2001 after filing to run for a seat on the county educational service center, a race he won, that he was “not getting back into politics. This is it. I won’t run for judge, commissioner, Congress or any other office. I’m unequivocally saying that.”

A year later he acknowledge he was thinking of running for judge, but decided not to seek it, again repeating he wouldn’t get back into politics.

“I don’t know why these rumors always come up,” he said.

He wondered at the time why he couldn’t shake the perception that he was going to make a political comeback.

Perhaps it’s because he keeps toying with the idea.

In 2005, he considered seeking the then-vacant county auditor position.

Now it’s the state Senate.

One state legislator said of Engler: “He has a better r√©sum√© than the others. It’s about who’s going to raise the most money and that’s Dave. Also, it won’t cost the caucus a dime to retain the seat if he’s appointed.”

Those wanting to receive the Mahoning County Democratic Party’s recommendation for the seat must let the party know by Nov. 28. The party’s executive committee will meet Dec. 2 with each candidate.

County Democratic parties in the district have until Dec. 12 to recommend up to three candidates for the vacancy to the Ohio Democratic Senate Caucus. Mahoning Democrats will do so well before that deadline.

If Engler is truly interested, he’s got a week to decide.