Who will lead Dems?

By DAVID SKOLNICK

skolnick@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

A newly elected state central committeewoman is challenging incumbent David Betras for the leadership of the Mahoning County Democratic Party.

Georgiann DeCenzo of Boardman filed nominating petitions to challenge Betras, who was elected April 27, 2009, as chairman, to fill the unexpired term of Lisa Antonini, who resigned.

The party’s precinct committee members will meet at 6:45 p.m. Wednesday at Mr. Anthony’s in Boardman to elect officers.

There are 287 precincts in the county, with three or four of them unfilled.

Betras has said he has the support of more than 200 of the precinct committee members.

But he said Thursday that he is treating DeCenzo’s challenge seriously.

“I’m never 100 percent confident when I have an opponent,” Betras said.

Betras, an attorney from Boardman, is sending an eight-page packet to precinct committee members.

The packet lists the party’s accomplishments in the past year under his leadership and Betras’ plans for the future.

Betras said he’s helped unite the party, which has resulted in success for the region.

Also, the party raised $184,787 in his first year in office with a goal of $250,000 for 2010. With Betras as chairman, the party endorsed candidates in the May 4 primary, the first primary endorsements in about 18 years.

“The party is relevant again,” Betras said.

Betras’ packet also includes statements of support from U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, Gov. Ted Strickland and Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern.

DeCenzo, executive vice president of Advanstar, a Cleveland-based media company, was elected earlier this month as the 33rd District Democratic state central committeewoman.

She ran unopposed for the seat after Dorothy McLaughlin of Struthers, the incumbent, died a few weeks before the May 4 election.

DeCenzo said she didn’t initially plan to challenge Betras, but decided to do so after being urged by a group of 25 county precinct committeewomen. She sent a four-page letter to precinct committee members about her candidacy.

Betras said DeCenzo is controlled by Mark Hanni, an attorney who fielded candidates to run for precinct committee seats. Hanni lost his own precinct committee race.

Though she is a longtime friend of Hanni and his family, DeCenzo insisted she is her own person and not a “Hanni puppet.”

Hanni said he’s supporting DeCenzo even though he urged her not to run because he feared she’d face unjust criticism.