36 Republican chairmen, including 3 from Mahoning Valley, want state chair replaced

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Thirty-six county Republican Party chairmen – including the three in the Mahoning Valley – are urging the GOP state central committee to replace Matt Borges as Ohio Republican chairman.

A letter sent Wednesday to the 66 members of the state central committee asked them to back Jane Timken of Stark County because she “has impeccable personal qualifications and unquestioned standing among the political, financial and elective leadership of our party at the state and national level.”

Timken, favored by President-elect Donald Trump, is challenging Borges in today’s secret ballot for state chairman. Borges is criticized in the letter by the chairman for not giving Trump “unwavering” support in his presidential bid.

Among the 36 of the state’s 88 county Republican Party chairmen signing the letter are Mark Munroe of Mahoning County, Randy Law of Trumbull County, and Dave Johnson of Columbiana County. Johnson is a state central committee member.

“We are now in jeopardy of having the state party be completely at odds with the new Trump administration as well as with the RNC,’’ the letter said.

[Republican National Committee] itself,” the letter reads.