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VINDY EXCLUSIVE | Munroe to step down Feb. 21 GOP chair
YOUNGSTOWN
After nine years as Mahoning County Republican Party chairman, Mark Munroe will retire Feb. 21.
“Being party chairman is not an easy job,” Munroe said. “You make a decision and you make half of your supporters unhappy. Then you make another decision and you make the other half unhappy. It’s a difficult, stressful job. But it’s been an honor to serve and I’m proud of our many accomplishments.”
Munroe, who has 40 years of service to the party, said: “My No. 1 goal has always been to bring real political competition to the county, and while there is more work to do, we have made great progress.”
Munroe was the party’s longtime first vice chairman when he was first elected as chairman in 2010. He was re-elected in 2014, and won a third four-year term in June. After winning that third term, Munroe said he planned at some point to “step down before my term is over.”
Munroe is backing Thomas McCabe to succeed him. McCabe is the county elections board deputy director who was overwhelmingly elected first vice chairman in June.
McCabe “has always had an ambition to be chairman,” Munroe said. “I’ve always been impressed by his political insights. He has such an appreciation for history. I’ve long felt Tom could be a great successor to me.”
McCabe said he plans to run for election for the chairman’s position.
The party’s central committee will meet at 7 p.m. Feb. 21 at party headquarters in Boardman to elect a new chairman.
“It’s kind of sad to see [Munroe] offer his letter of retirement,” McCabe said. “We tried to talk him out of it. It’s a well-earned retirement for him. He’ll remain involved and help us build on what he’s done.”
Munroe said he plans to stay active as a volunteer and provide help with the transition to his successor.
Munroe said he’ll remain on the county elections board – of which he is chairman – for the rest of his term, which expires in two years. He’s been on the board for 25 years, and is unsure if he’d seek another term.
Munroe listed several accomplishments among his highlights as chairman, including the 2014 victory of Ralph T. Meacham as county auditor – becoming the first Republican to win a county executive office seat in about 30 years – as well as the November wins of Republicans Don Manning and Michael Rulli for Ohio House and state Senate seats, respectively, and the opening of the party’s headquarters in Boardman.
He also mentioned two visits by President Donald Trump to Mahoning County – one during the 2016 presidential campaign and the other after Trump was elected president – as high points.
County Democratic Party Chairman David Betras said: “Although Mark and I are on different sides of the ideological spectrum, I have a healthy respect for the work he’s done for the Republican Party. He’s a great public servant.”
Betras, who is vice chairman of the county board of elections, added, “I respect the work we do together on the board.”