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Mahoning Democrats back Limbian over Hume in Youngstown judicial race
BOARDMAN
The Mahoning County Democratic Party endorsed city Law Director Jeff Limbian for Youngstown Municipal Court judge over Martin Hume.
Limbian received 31 votes of Youngstown Democratic central and executive committee members Saturday to 11 for Hume, an assistant county prosecutor and former city law director.
“I’m very happy the party chose to endorse me,” Limbian said after the vote. “I look forward to challenging [incumbent Republican Judge] Renee DiSalvo in the general election. I hope that the voters see it the same way as the committee people.”
Hume said he had no plans to get out of the race.
“The position is too important,” he said. “I believe there’s a clear difference in the qualifications and experience of the candidates. I’m disappointed in the Democratic Party.”
Also at Saturday’s meeting at St. Luke Church hall, the party endorsed candidates in Youngstown council races and the Struthers primary.
Only committee members in the respective wards who attended the meeting were eligible to vote. All voting was done by secret ballot.
In the 1st Ward, there was a 2-2 tie between incumbent Councilman Julius T. Oliver and challenger Bryant Youngblood Jr.
In the 2nd Ward, former city police chief Jimmy Hughes won 7-0 over Ra’Cole Taltoan. Incumbent Councilman T.J. Rodgers isn’t seeking re-election.
In the 3rd Ward, Denice Necie Neal Davis captured the endorsement with seven votes to three for Samantha Turner and none for Darian Rushton. Incumbent Councilman Nate Pinkard isn’t running for another term.
In the 5th Ward, Councilwoman Lauren McNally was endorsed without a vote of ward committee members because her challenger, Jim Cerimele, did not attend Saturday’s meeting.
Also, incumbents Mike Ray in the 4th Ward, Anita Davis in the 6th and Basia Adamczak in the 7th are running unopposed and were endorsed.
In Struthers, Catherine Cercone Miller won the mayoral endorsement 7-6 over Michael S. Patrick, councilman at-large.
There are four candidates running for three at-large seats. But only Anthony Pastella and incumbent Dallas Bigley sought – and received – endorsements. The two other candidates are James Baluck and Megan Pingley.
In the 1st Ward, Councilman Tony Fire was endorsed 2-1 over Lori A. Greenwood.
The councilmen in the other wards – Ronald Carcelli in the 2nd, Robert D. Burnside in the 3rd and Richard Bayus in the 4th – are running unopposed and were endorsed.
The party also endorsed these candidates running unopposed in Struthers’ primary: Christina S. Bohl for auditor, Robert D. Carcelli III for treasurer, John N. Zomolda Jr. for law director and Joseph Rudzik for council president.
Members also voted to support the renewal of the 0.75-percent, five-year county criminal justice sales tax on the May ballot. It raises about $26 million annually to fund the sheriff’s, prosecutor’s and coroner’s offices, as well as dispatching services.
At Saturday’s meeting, party Chairman David Betras called for the resignation of Ohio Democratic Party Chairman David Pepper and his team after a Republican sweep of statewide executive races in the November 2018 election. Betras has been critical of Pepper since the losses – as well as the 2016 victory in Ohio by Republican Donald Trump for president – and has asked Pepper to step down as chairman. Pepper has said he has no plans to resign.
“This Ohio Democratic Party is so negligent and so inept,” Betras said Saturday.
He added: “We want to go with winners, not habitual losers.”