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Betras’ election was a stormy affair
On the side
‘Kick off’ campaigns: The Ohio Democratic Party along with Organizing for America and local Democratic parties, committees and candidates are holding “kick-off” campaigns across the state at noon Saturday.
Mahoning Valley Democrats will participate in the events, called “Fight for Ohio’s Future,” at county party headquarters.
In Mahoning County, that’s 3321 Mahoning Ave. in Youngstown. In Trumbull County, it’s 222 E. Market St. in Warren, and in Columbiana County, party headquarters is 124 E. Lincoln Way in Lisbon.
Those attending the events — why it’s being called a “kick-off” when Democratic politicians have been campaigning for months? — will listen to speeches about the importance of helping party candidates.
Participants will then go door-to-door talking to residents about why they should vote for Democrats in November.
Organizing for America is the community organizing wing of the Democratic National Committee and is the successor to Obama for America.
I knew I was in for some entertainment when I read the sign outside Mr. Anthony’s, where Mahoning County Democrats held a meeting to elect their officers.
It read: “Welcome Democratic Party - David Betras Chairman.”
The deck was certainly stacked in favor of Betras and it had nothing to do with the sign, even though the blatant plug for the chairman was funny to me.
Betras simply outworked his opponents in getting precinct committee members who support him elected. The precinct committee members vote on the party’s officers.
The only chance opponents of “Team Betras” — I’m not making that up; Betras and his slate of candidates used that name — had to win was if a tornado touched down in Boardman.
[But there was spaghetti and meatballs and even a monsoon rarely separates local Democrats from free food.]
It rained a lot. Mr. Anthony’s parking lot flooded, ruining my only pair of black shoes. But there was no tornado.
‘Tornado’
Wait, there was one. If you recall, Betras described himself last year as being “like a tornado.”
When I walked into Mr. Anthony’s, Betras was running all over the place in preparation of the election — like a tornado.
There were only three contested races: chairman, executive vice chairman and secretary.
Georgiann DeCenzo, the 33rd District’s state central committeewoman, opposed Betras.
She started her speech by saying her campaign has been positive. A minute later she’s criticizing the party for focusing on the “holy grail” of “fundraising and publicity.”
DeCenzo then suggested that some of the money raised by the party go to precinct committee members for their hard work. She said each member should get $100.
The plan for Betras supporters was to raise “Team Betras” signs after he finished his speech. But only a handful were raised as his supporters were too busy giving him a standing ovation.
Then came Ed Aey.
Like DeCenzo, Aey didn’t have a prayer of beating Kenneth Carano, the incumbent executive vice chairman and a member of “Team Betras.”
Rather than criticizing Carano, Aey went after Betras for his time in late 2006 as treasurer of Marc Dann’s attorney-general transition account.
The boos and heckling soon followed.
Betras, Carano and party secretary John Vivo of “Team Betras,” who gave a 90-second speech, easily beat their challengers. Three other incumbents, and “Team Betras” members, ran unopposed.
Despite that, Betras was hot when it came to Aey.
“These people rejected the negative campaigning of the Aeys,” Betras said. “They’re politically done in this Valley. The politics of personal destruction is over.”
Aey said his family — which also includes his uncle, David Ludt, a 12-year county commissioner defeated in the May Democratic primary by the party-endorsed candidate — aren’t going anywhere.
The message of “party unity” apparently needs a little tweaking.