Now that state Rep. John Patrick Carney has announced he will run for Ohio Auditor, Democrats have filled most of their slate of statewide candidates who will challenge Republican incumbents in 2014.

Carney is a Columbus-based healthcare attorney who grew up in Bay Village and has served in the Ohio General Assembly for three two-year terms.

He will challenge incumbent state Auditor Dave Yost, a Republican who is finishing his first term in office.

Other races shape up for now to pit Gov. John Kasich vs. Cuyahoga County Executive Ed Fitzgerald; Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel vs. state Rep. Connie Pillach; Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted vs. state Sen. Nina Turner; and Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine vs. former Hamilton County Commissioner David Pepper.

Ohio Supreme Court Justice Sharon Kennedy also will be on the ballot next year. No Democrat opposition has announced so far.

Carney said during an interview with The News-Herald that he believes his experience in the health care field would serve him well as he would aim as auditor to carefully examine the large percentage of the state’s revenue that is spent on health care.

Other issues Carney will use as campaign talking points are to protect Lake Erie and waterway assets and what he says is the gerrymandering of legislative districts that eliminates bipartisanship on the state level.

He also believes that JobsOhio needs to be more transparent and said Ohioans deserve to know where public tax money is spent in the effort to help create jobs.

It should be an interesting election season next year to see if Republicans continue to dominate state politics or whether Democrats make any headway.

Welcome to the bench

Congratulations to Geauga County Assistant Prosecutor Mark Bartolotta, who was appointed by Kasich to become the new Lake County Probate Court judge. I’ll write a little bit more on this development in a future column.

Events

Geauga County Democratic Party hosts a spaghetti dinner at 6 p.m. Thursday and a speaker will discuss the new federal health care law. Former Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner will talk about women’s issues and her new book at 2 p.m. Sept. 22. The party’s annual clambake will be at 6 p.m. Oct. 5. Each of the events will be at party headquarters in Newbury Township.

Geauga County Republican Party hosts GOP Steak Roast with a mystery guest speaker at 2 p.m. Oct. 6 at the Troy Township Pavilion.

Lake County Democratic Women’s Club hosts 75th anniversary luncheon and Woman of the Year award on Sept. 21 at Dino’s Party Center in Willoughby.

Candidate endorsements

Candidates in Lake, Geauga and eastern Cuyahoga counties who appear on the Nov. 5 ballot may send in listings of endorsements they receive for the upcoming election via email, fax or standard mail. They will appear online periodically on The News-Herald’s Northern Ohio Politics blog.

Change in publication date

Starting with the Sept. 21 edition, this column will be published on The News-Herald’s editorial page on Saturdays instead of on Sundays.

Fundies

n Susan McGuinness, candidate for Painesville Township trustee, hosts a ’60s Night fundraiser, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 19 at Harry Buffalo in Painesville Township. See Susan or Ray McGuinness.

n Geauga County Auditor Frank J. Gliha hosts Chinese Dinner fundraiser, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 20 at Pineview Lake in Munson Township. See Gliha.

n Lake County Commissioner Daniel P. Troy hosts Fall Classic golf outing and Clam Bake, 12:30 p.m. shotgun start Sept. 27 at Lost Nation Municipal Golf Course in Willoughby. See Kip Molenaar.

n Dennis Morley, candidate for Eastlake mayor, hosts Steak Roast Fundraiser, 1 to 4 p.m. Oct. 6 at Boracs Landing in Eastlake. See Donna Vaughn or Dale Bradley.

n State Rep. John Rogers hosts fall clambake, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 10 at Mentor Beach Park in Mentor-on-the-Lake. See Rogers or Kip Molenaar.

n Lake County Commissioner Judy Moran hosts Oktoberfest 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 17 at American Legion Hall in Willowick. See Paul Miller or Kevin Malecek.

John Arthur Hutchison

JHutchison@News-Herald.com

Twitter: @newsheraldjah

Last week, I wrote that after redistricting is completed, it’s quite possible that Lake County could wind up with three Ohio House of Representatives districts.

The change could occur because Ashtabula and Trumbull counties have lost population while Lake County has gained during the past 10 years.

Ashtabula County also shares a portion of the 99th House District with five townships in Trumbull County.

That Trumbull County territory shared with Ashtabula County might be needed for other House districts in Trumbull.

So if that scenario happens it would dramatically change how the 18th Senate District is shaped because state law requires each Ohio Senate District to contain three House districts.

Currently, the district is comprised of Lake, Geauga and portions of eastern Cuyahoga counties and is represented by state Sen. Tim Grendell, R-Chester Township.

The House districts within the 18th Senate District are the 62nd, consisting of western Lake County and Concord Township, and the 63rd, consisting of Mentor and eastern Lake County, plus the 98th that consists of Geauga County, and Gates Mills, Highland Heights and Mayfield Village in Cuyahoga County.

If the Madison area is joined with the 99th House District, as is quite possible, then Lake County’s Ohio Senate district would most likely be redrawn so that the district is comprised of Lake and Ashtabula counties, dropping Geauga and eastern Cuyahoga counties. Just like it was 10 years ago.

Geauga County’s new state Senate district would likely move south toward Portage County and potentially into the eastern portion of Summit County.

Best guess is Geauga County’s new Senate district and the 98th House District would no longer include Cuyahoga County.

So if Lake County joins with Ashtabula County to form a Senate district, how would that affect potential partisan candidates?

Ashtabula County with 65,010 registered voters traditionally leans Democrat and had 19,594 Democrats and 10,069 Republicans registered at last count.

Lake County, known as a bellwether county, has 157,387 registered voters who are mostly independent. The county had 11,241 Democrats and 12,577 Republicans registered at last count.

So when the political parties nominate candidates in primary elections in 2012 for state Senate, could it be a Lake County Republican vs. an Ashtabula County Democrat?

You may remember that Roaming Shores Democrat Robert Boggs, former Ohio Department of Agriculture chief, county commissioner and state representative, was the 18th District’s senator in the 1990s prior to the tenure of Republican Robert A. Gardner of Madison Township.

Concord trustee bid?
Is attorney Erik L. Walter planning another bid to run for Concord Township trustee this November? Trustee Connie Luhta is up this year. Walter ran for trustee in November 2009, but lost to Trustees Christopher A. Galloway and Paul R. Malchesky. Walter and Bob Patterson also ran in 2007, but Luhta fended off their challenge.

Fundies
n Willoughby Hills Mayor Robert M. Weger: 5 to 7:30 p.m., Wednesday at Willoughby Hills Community Center for “Envision the Future” pasta dinner. See Tom Lobe, Gloria Majeski or Darleen Weger.

n Karen Kowall, candidate for Willoughby Municipal Court judge: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. March 3 at Pine Ridge Country Club, Wickliffe. See Marisa Cornachio or Dana Lutz.
n Lake Commissioner Dan Troy: Mardi Gras Party, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. March 8 at Holiday Inn Express LaMalfa Centre in Mentor. See Kip Molenaar.

n Jamie Callender, candidate for Ohio Senate, will host a Mardi Gras party from 6 to 8 p.m. March 8, at the Quail Hollow Inn in Concord Township. See Jamie or Heidi Callender.

John Arthur Hutchison’s column appears Sundays in The News-Herald.
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @newsheraldjah