43
Ohio House Democratic Caucus to interview 3 people for vacant seat
COLUMBUS
A replacement for former state Rep. Ronald V. Gerberry should be chosen in the next two to three weeks.
Three candidates applied to the Ohio House Democratic Caucus to fill the vacancy. They are the same three who received recommendations Sept. 9 by the Mahoning County Democratic Party at the request of the caucus to fill the position.
The three applicants are: John Boccieri, a former congressman, Ohio representative and senator; former Boardman Trustee Robyn Gallitto, an attorney; and John Landers, a Boardman school-board member.
In a vote last Wednesday of the local party’s central and executive committee, Boccieri of Poland was the overwhelming choice with 42 of the 53 total votes for the vacant 59th Ohio House District seat.
Gallitto received 6 votes, and Landers got 4. One vote went to Tom Lyden of Boardman.
Anyone else interested in representing the 59th Ohio House District – which includes about half of Mahoning County, including Boardman, Canfield and Poland – had until late Monday to submit letters of interest to the caucus, but none did.
A five-member caucus screening committee will met separately with each of the three candidates, probably early week, said Jordan Plottner, the caucus spokesman.
A recommendation from the screening committee will go to the full 33-member caucus for a vote. The House would then confirm the caucus’ choice as a formality.
That House vote is expected either Sept. 29 or Oct. 7, Plottner said.
The term runs through Dec. 31, 2016.
Based on his strong showing during the county Democratic vote, his history of raising money for campaigns, his legislative experience, and his familiarity with some of the caucus members from previously serving with them, Boccieri is seen as the favorite to get the appointment.
The seat was vacated when Ronald V. Gerberry, an Austintown Democrat, resigned Aug. 21, the same day he was convicted of unlawful compensation of a public official.
Gerberry, the most-senior House member before his resignation, admitted he hid campaign money from the caucus by giving it to a vendor to make it appear he had spent that money and then had it refunded to his campaign.
That allowed Gerberry to pay less campaign money to the caucus, which uses it to help get Democrats elected to the House.