Rusu, Robb bury the Democrats

Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern fell on his sword after he engineered one of the worst defeats of Democratic candidates in statewide elections in recent history. Redfern, who also was a casualty of the Republican political juggernaut by losing his state representative seat, announced his resignation Tuesday night when Gov. John Kasich led the GOP slate on a take-no-prisoners victory lap.

By contrast, Mahoning County Democratic Party Chairman David Betras, who also orchestrated the worst defeat of Democratic candidates in major local races in recent history, refused to fall on his sword. Instead, he stuck it into Ed FitzGerald, the party nominee for governor who will long be remembered as one of the weakest gubernatorial candidates ever to run, and Michael Sciortino, the Mahoning County auditor who sought re-election this year despite having the dark cloud of criminal state charges hanging over his head.

Betras, who invariably ends up being a lightning rod, has been harshly criticized by his critics for the party losing three important offices in county government: auditor, probate judge and 7th District Court of Appeals.

Good vs. evil

This writer commented on Sciortino’s loss to Republican Ralph Meacham, a political newcomer, in a front-page column Wednesday. The bottom line of that race: It was portrayed in this space numerous times as a battle of good vs. evil. When the final vote count was announced, it was clear that residents of the county have grown weary of the evil that has permeated local government.

The dominance of the Democratic Party has now become a successful campaign issue for Republicans.

That strategy was on full display in the months leading up to Tuesday’s election, and proved to be a major factor in the three races that Betras was counting on to burnish his reputation as an effective party boss and, perhaps, put him on the short list for state party chairman.

However, he misjudged the mood of the electorate.

This was particularly evident in the probate judge race, where the incumbent, Robert Rusu, who was appointed to the bench by Gov. Kasich after Democratic Judge Mark Belinky resigned in the midst of a state criminal investigation, pledged honesty and transparency.

Belinky has pleaded guilty to a charge relating to his campaign for office, and is cooperating with prosecutors.

Rusu, a well respected, experienced lawyer who specialized in probate work, was challenged in the election by Democrat Susan Maruca, one of Betras’ favored candidates. Maruca had run for probate judge in 2008 and placed third in the Democratic primary. Belinky captured the party nomination and went on to defeat Republican Scott Hunter, a county court judge.

This year, Maruca won a contentious primary race against Atty. Christopher Sammarone, son of former Youngstown mayor and now council President Charles Sammarone.

Her victory was bittersweet because she and Betras alienated the Sammarone political machine.

Thus, in the general election it was clear that Rusu, who ran as an independent, not only had the support of Republicans and thoughtful Democrats, but was helped by Sammarone’s supporters turning their backs on the Democratic nominee.

Chuck Sammarone is old-school when it comes to party politics: Personal slights are not easily forgiven or forgotten.

Rusu’s victory is a major blow to the party because it says that qualifications and experience do matter when it comes to certain offices.

Appeals court

The 7th District Court of Appeals race for the seat being vacated by Judge Joseph J. Vukovich III also offered voters a choice between a Republican candidate with judicial experience, and a Democratic candidate with a strong political name in Mahoning County, but a comparatively weak resume.

Although the winner Tuesday, Judge Carol Ann Robb of the Columbiana County Municipal Court, was unable to overcome Atty. Anthony Donofrio’s strength in Mahoning County, she won by large enough margins in the other counties in the 7th District to score a well-earned victory.

Calls for Betras to resign are intensifying. But thoughtful Democrats should be aware that there are political barbarians at the gate who would return the party to the Dark Ages.