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Area state Sen. Schiavoni laying foundation for a bid for governor
On the side
Mahoning County Democratic Party Chairman David Betras was featured earlier this week in an NPR “All Things Considered” news story on why President Donald Trump did so well during the November general election in the Rust Belt and the failure of Democrat Hillary Clinton’s campaign to connect with working-class voters.
“We were stressing the wrong messages. ‘Stronger Together’ — that’s real nice,” Betras said, referring to Clinton’s campaign slogan, in the story. “Let’s sit around and sing, ‘Kumbaya,’ but that really doesn’t get anyone a job, does it?”
The annual dinner of the Mahoning Valley McKinley Club – which brings together Republicans from Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties – is usually held in January or February. It honors William McKinley, the nation’s 25th president who was born in Niles on Jan. 29, 1843. This year’s event, the 102nd annual, though, will be at the McKinley Memorial in Niles sometime in the spring because of the typical inclement weather this time of the year, said J.D. Williams, the club’s president.
In an effort to be the Democratic nominee for governor in 2018, Ohio Senate Minority Leader Joe Schiavoni says he’s traveling around the state talking to people about important issues and is starting to raise money.
But Schiavoni of Boardman, D-33rd, said he doesn’t have a deadline for when he’ll announce and knows he faces an uphill climb to be the party’s choice.
“I’m never going to be the anointed candidate for governor and that drives me even more,” he said. “It helps me go harder.”
There are about a dozen Democrats either considering a run for governor or whose names are being pushed as contenders for the job.
While most of them aren’t well-known, the big two are U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Howland, D-13th, and Richard Cordray, a former attorney general and treasurer who currently runs the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Ryan said he is still considering a bid while Cordray isn’t allowed to be politically active in his post though his political allies are saying he’d be the strongest candidate.
When asked to expand on his “anointed” comment, Schiavoni said, “I’ve been a state senator for eight years. I don’t have the highest name recognition. I don’t expect the Democratic Party and Democratic groups to say, ‘Joe Schiavoni should run for governor.’”
Schiavoni said he’s prepared for a primary.
“A primary isn’t a bad thing,” he said. “It helps you build your base. It helps you get around the state. It’s not the worst thing in the world. I can’t control who’s talking about getting in. People are thinking about it. I can control getting out across the state and raising money.”
As for raising money, Schiavoni said he has next to nothing after using everything he had on state Senate races in November. Democrats lost a seat in last year’s election and have only 9 of the 33 positions in the Senate.
Schiavoni said he’s raised $1.4 million “over the last couple of years directly and indirectly as minority leader” primarily for the Democratic caucus.
He raised about $30,000 at a Boardman fundraiser on Tuesday and has another fundraiser in Columbus next week.
The money raised “shows I’m serious about this position,” Schiavoni said.
Schiavoni is talking to various groups including labor unions, chambers of commerce and civic clubs.
“I’m trying to establish trust with people and get traction that way,” he said. “It’s how I’ll do it. You build out your team with hard work, time and dedication.”
Being minority leader “allows me to go to communities and talk about what I’m doing. I’ve got an education bill, a jobs bill, a blighted properties bill, an opioid bill, clean water and infrastructure,” Schiavoni said. “I’m not going to be the politician who is not doing his job. The work I’ve been doing naturally builds relationships in 2018. One of the advantages I have over the other [potential] candidates is I’m actually doing the work.”
He added: “People say I’m not a normal politician and that motivates me. With hard work every single day, it can be done. People are sick of people who play politics. They want people who give them straight answers.”
Also, Schiavoni said that running for governor is his only goal.
“I’m not doing this to angle for another position,” he said. “That’s the strategy of some people. I’m not doing this for another job.”
However, that could change if Ryan opts to run for governor.
If that happens, Ryan’s congressional seat would be open, and Schiavoni didn’t rule out seeking that position.
“If he runs [for governor], I don’t know if I’d run for Congress,” Schiavoni said.
Other potential Democratic candidates for governor include ex-state Rep. Connie Pillich, the 2014 unsuccessful state treasurer candidate; Ohio Supreme Court Justice William M. O’Neill; Hamilton County Commissioner Todd Portune; Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley; ex-U.S. Rep. Betty Sutton, head of the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corp.; ex-Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams, the former head of the U.S. Economic Development Administration; and ex-state Sen. Nina Turner, who lost the 2014 secretary of state’s race.
While the filing deadline for governor is a year away, candidates will start making announcements in the coming months. That is important in order to raise money and establish name identification – particularly on the Democratic side as Ohio has been a strong Republican state for years.
The top three potential Republican candidates for governor already have more money and stronger name recognition than the Democrats. They are Attorney General Mike DeWine, Secretary of State Jon Husted and Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor.