Dems can’t find candidate to challenge Judge Sweeney
YOUNGSTOWN
The Mahoning County Democratic Party will not field a candidate against Judge Maureen Sweeney of common pleas court as no one stepped forward to replace Mark Hanni on the ballot.
Party Chairman David Betras had given applicants until 5 p.m. Friday to submit letters of interest for the seat. He received none.
“I didn’t think anyone would,” Betras said. “Incumbent judges seem to always win unless their opponent can raise a lot of money.”
Judge Sweeney faces no opposition in the general election. Those wanting to run as write-in candidates have until Aug. 25 to file.
Hanni withdrew from the race July 25. In a letter that day to Democratic precinct committee members, Hanni wrote that he couldn’t give the race “100 percent” and “it is better for the party to replace me with a candidate who can best serve the party ticket.”
Hanni originally had filed as a Democrat for a seat on the 7th District Court of Appeals, withdrew before the primary and ran unopposed as a write-in candidate in the Democratic primary for the seat held by Judge Sweeney, a Republican.
Hanni unsuccessfully ran for a seat on the court of appeals in 2012.
“Mark Hanni is not a serious candidate,” Betras said Friday. “He’s an annoyance.”
Hanni angered Betras by campaigning on behalf of a challenger to the chairman in June.
Judicial candidates aren’t permitted to involve themselves in partisan politics under the judicial code of conduct.
After the June 7 vote, Betras, who was re-elected easily, said Hanni would not get the support of the party and not be part of the coordinated campaign.
Democrats sent out invitations early last month for a fundraiser Thursday for its judicial fund. The invitation listed the party’s other candidates, excluding Hanni.
The inability to field a candidate against Judge Sweeney came a day after Judge James C. Evans of common pleas court postponed his retirement by a month, just enough time to eliminate a special election for the two-plus years remaining on his term.
Judge Evans, a Democrat, wrote in a letter to Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor of the Ohio Supreme Court that he delayed his retirement to allow his successor — to be appointed by Gov. John Kasich, a Republican — “to have an extended period of time in office while completing my current term before having to run in the general election.”