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Leone wins Dem nod for Struthers judge
By Sarah Lehr
STRUTHERS
2017 Democratic Primary election
Video Set
Dominic Leone III, a self-described “underdog,” won the Democratic primary race for Struthers Municipal Court judge.
Leone, 39, the Struthers law director, had 1,651 votes, or 37 percent of the 4,370 votes cast, according to unofficial results.
James E. Lanzo, 45, who works as solicitor for the village of Lowellville and prosecutor for the New Middletown Mayor’s Court, took 1,456 votes, or 33 percent.
Jamie Dunn, 67, a visiting Struthers judge, won 28 percent, at 1,263 votes.
Just over 19 percent of eligible county voters cast ballots in the election, according to the Mahoning County Board of Elections.
Leone will advance to the November general election against the sole Republican candidate, Damian DeGenova, 50, a Struthers magistrate.
As he celebrated Tuesday night at St. Anthony’s Hall in Struthers, Leone said he was “overwhelmed” by the win.
The Struthers resident said it was a challenge to overcome the name recognition of his challenger, Lanzo.
James E. Lanzo is the son of incumbent Struthers Judge James R. Lanzo. The elder Lanzo, 72, cannot run again due to Ohio age limits for judges.
The Mahoning County Democratic Club voted in February to endorse the younger Lanzo in the primary.
Leone, who calls himself the “change candidate,” made the opiate epidemic a central issue of his campaign.
He promises to seek licensing through the Ohio Supreme Court and create specialized dockets for veterans and those suffering from addiction. Specialized dockets, such as drug courts, license courts and veterans courts, use treatment and court supervision to address underlying issues, including trauma, addiction and mental illness.
Additionally, Leone has pledged to resume night court sessions and update the court’s website.
After hearing of Leone’s win, Lanzo thanked his supporters and said he was proud of his father’s legacy in the Struthers courtroom.
“We fought hard,” Lanzo said. “We ran a clean campaign. We didn’t throw any mud at anyone.”
Dunn, who trailed Lanzo by 5 percentage points and Leone by 9 points, was convicted of vehicular homicide in 1984 after driving drunk. Dunn later had the record expunged.
The Vindicator published an article about the conviction April 27 after learning about the issue via a tip called into the newsroom.
“I was very, very happy with the support that I received and with the voters who turned out in the rain,” Dunn said Tuesday night. “I will continue to work on behalf of the communities that I have represented in the past.”
The Struthers judge serves a six-year term. The court hears civil, criminal and traffic cases for Struthers, Poland, Lowellville, New Middletown and Springfield Township.