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A former safety-service director and councilman withdrew from the Struthers mayoral race
STRUTHERS
John Sveda, a former safety-service director and city councilman, is no longer a mayoral candidate.
Sveda said Thursday he withdrew as an independent candidate because there are too many others in the mayoral race, and it would be difficult for him to win.
“I feel like I disappointed people,” he said. “I could have been a good candidate and mayor.”
If it was just him and Danny Thomas Jr., a former council president and councilman who won the Democratic primary, Sveda said, “I would have stayed in.”
But two other candidates filed as independents.
Also, Sveda said he didn’t want to spend the money he believes is needed to get elected.
“The bar has been raised pretty high in spending,” he said. “I don’t like to ask people for money. It would cost me $15,000 to $20,000 for this race. If I was 52 years old instead of 62, I would have taken the financial risk. Do I borrow money on my house? I can’t raise that type of money.”
Sveda, a city safety-service director of 16 years and a councilman for eight years, said he’s backing Thomas because “he’s the best candidate. He has the experience to be a good mayor.”
In response, Thomas said, “John would have been a formidable opponent. He’s a good friend. I appreciate his support. We go way back. A lot of mutual friends will breathe a big sigh of relief.”
Also running for mayor as independents are Richard DeLuca, a retired Struthers water-pollution-control manager and superintendent of Campbell’s wastewater treatment plant, and Richard Sheeler, a local businessman who registered to vote three days before he filed petitions to seek the post.
Sveda said he worked with DeLuca and won’t support him.
“He knew how to be a sewer superintendent, but he lacked the people skills and management skills to be mayor,” Sveda said. “He got into this race because he didn’t like me or want me to be mayor.”
DeLuca said he’s not surprised Sveda withdrew because he wasn’t really an independent and was only in the mayoral race as a backup plan if Thomas lost the Democratic primary.
“Sveda knew he couldn’t win,” DeLuca said.