’Tis the season for political speculation, as potential candidates in 2014 toss around the idea of whether to make a run for office.

A few folks have already pulled candidacy petitions as they get ready for the holidays, while some may still be in the process of weighing the pros and cons of a candidacy.

The filing deadline to run in the May 6 primary as a partisan candidate is Feb. 5. Independent candidates have a filing deadline of May 5.

An interesting primary may be to determine who the Republican candidate is to run for Lake County commissioner. The seat is currently held by Commissioner Daniel P. Troy, a Willowick Democrat who so far is indicating he will run for re-election, although he’s put some thought into running for Congress. If he does run for re-election, I think it would be tough to see any primary opponent seriously challenge him.

Several Republican names I’m hearing are North Perry Councilman Dick Shreve; Madison Village Councilman John R. Hamercheck; Willoughby Hills Councilman David M. Fiebig; Concord Township Trustee Christopher Galloway; and Willoughby resident Kim Laurie, who is president of the 9/12 Project in Mentor.

Shreve, Hamercheck and Fiebig ran for commissioner in 2012, with the latter two winning their party nomination, but losing in the general election.

I’m hearing there is heavy interest on the Democratic side to run for Lake County Common Pleas Court judge term commencing Jan. 5. The seat is currently held by Judge Joe Gibson, a Democrat who can’t seek re-election due to age limits.

Republican John P. O’Donnell has already filed petitions to run for the seat, and indications are that he won’t have a primary opponent.

People I hear considering a run on the Democratic side are Dennis LaConti, who ran against Gibson in the 2008 Democratic primary, along with Painesville Law Director Ron Graham and Jim Dugan, who ran in a 2008 Democratic primary for Lake County Juvenile Court judge.

For Lake County Probate Court, appointed Judge Mark J. Bartolotta, a Republican, plans to run to retain the seat, and Mentor Prosecutor Lisa Klammer, a Democrat, plans to challenge him. Keep your eye on a potential independent candidate, as it’s possible someone like Heidi Koenig might run.

Take two

Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ed FitzGerald will have another opportunity to pick a running mate, now that his first choice, state Sen. Eric Kearney of Cincinnati, is off the ticket.

The selection of Kearney and the subsequent decision for him to leave as a lieutenant governor candidate doesn’t reflect well on the campaign. But there is still time for a rebound, and it’s dependent on who is eventually selected.

Some potential choices may include former Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, who lives in Columbus, and state Rep. Tracey Maxwell Heard, a Columbus resident who is the Ohio House of Representatives minority leader.

Metroparks appointment

It will be interesting to see who Bartolotta appoints when the term of Lake Metroparks Commissioner Ellen Foley Kessler, a Democrat, expires Dec. 31. Will she be reappointed or will someone new take her place? Keep in mind, each of the three current Metroparks commissioners is a Democrat.

Swearing in

Josh Pennock and Chuck Hillier will be sworn in as Painesville Township trustees at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday during the trustee meeting at Township Hall.

Deadlines

The weekly deadline to submit information for this column is each Wednesday by 5 p.m. Email or fax is preferred.

Fundies

• Campaign kickoff for Lake County Juvenile Court Judge Karen Lawson, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Jan. 16 at LaMalfa Party Center in Mentor. See Lu Dunlap.
• John P. O’Donnell, candidate for Lake County Common Pleas Court, hosts a fundraiser 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Jan. 23, at LaMalfa Party Center. See Mike Lucas, Mike Bucci or Ann Bergen.

John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @newsheraldjah

Here is the full statement from Eric H. Kearney:

“When my wife Jan-Michele and I purchased the Cincinnati Herald we knew it would be a challenge. The media business was changing rapidly, and newspapers—both large and small—were struggling to adapt and remain profitable. But we were dedicated to keeping alive one of our nation’s oldest African-American newspapers and committed to our employees and their families.

Given the challenges the Herald faced, other small business owners might have walked away. But, we never considered closing our business because it would have meant shutting down a respected community newspaper dating back to the Civil Rights era, and putting people out of work.

When I became a State Senator in 2005, I stepped away from the day-to-day operations of the newspaper to focus on representing my hometown in the Ohio Senate. I have devoted my time in the Senate to improving children’s health, ensuring fair elections, and growing our state’s economy.   Among the pieces of legislation that I was able to pass was a bill setting up a loan program that grants financial assistance to families wanting to adopt.

During my tenure as Minority Leader, I worked across the aisle with former Senate President Tom Neihaus to enact reforms to stabilize and strengthen Ohio’s public pension systems. It wasn’t easy, but it shows what can be accomplished if you take a thoughtful and bipartisan approach to solving problems and treat people with respect.

Last month I accepted an opportunity to run for Lieutenant Governor because I believe this state is headed in the wrong direction. Ohio’s unemployment rate is rising, voting rights are threatened, and our schools and local communities don’t have the resources they need.

As questions arose about the financial challenges facing our newspaper business I wanted to set the record straight. That’s why I provided hundreds of documents and answered questions from reporters from across the state. This was all done to let the facts be known and to ensure complete transparency.  I am convinced our business is on a path to resolving these issues in the near future and the facts support that conclusion.

With that being said, it’s undeniable that this has come to be a distraction from a discussion of the vital issues facing Ohio, and the choice voters must make in this election. The stakes are too high: we need a change of leadership to move Ohio in a new direction that puts more Ohioans back to work and builds a better future for our children.

I have discussed this with Ed FitzGerald, and while I will always be grateful for him selecting me to be his running mate, we agree that the best course of action is for me to step aside from the campaign for Lieutenant Governor and focus on serving the people of the Ninth Senate district.”

John Arthur Hutchison

JHutchison@News-Herald.com

Twitter: @newsheraldjah

The race for the Democratic Party’s nominee in 2014 for the Ohio Senate 25th District has begun to heat up as a prominent endorsement recently was granted.

U.S. Rep. Marcia L. Fudge, D-Warrensville Heights, this week endorsed former state Rep. Ed Jerse of Euclid for the seat. Jerse is running in a Democratic Party primary next year against former state Rep. Kenny Yuko, D-Richmond Heights.

The district includes Eastlake, Fairport Harbor, Grand River, Lakeline, Mentor Ward 4, Mentor-on-the-Lake, Painesville, parts of Painesville Township, Timberlake, Wickliffe, Willoughby and Willowick in Lake County, plus Euclid, Richmond Heights, South Euclid and other eastern Cuyahoga County communities.

To his credit, Yuko has the endorsement of state Sen. Nina Turner, D-Cleveland, who is not seeking re-election because she is running for Ohio Secretary of State against incumbent Jon Husted, a Republican.

This Ohio Senate race should be one of the more interesting ones to watch next year between two former state lawmakers who had to leave the Ohio General Assembly due to term limits.

So which one of the candidates will emerge victorious? The Republican primary, if there is one, likely won’t be as high profile because the district leans Democratic.

In the grand scheme of state politics, the Ohio Senate is dominated by Republicans who hold a 23-10 majority, and if the seat is kept by a Democrat then it won’t represent a seismic shift in policy. The same holds true if a Republican wins.

However, with so few numbers, members in the minority who serve in Ohio Senate districts throughout the state have to be capable of making their voices heard loud and clear for their party’s ideas and can’t be shy of the media spotlight.

Turner, who was the Ohio Senate Minority Whip until just recently stepping down, has appeared to enjoy that role especially as a frequent guest on MSNBC and actively involved on Twitter with more than 19,000 followers.

On an individual basis, serving as an Ohio state senator can lead to bigger possibilities down the road, such as in Turner’s case as she seeks to win a statewide position.

State Sen. Eric Kearney, D-Cincinnati, who is the Ohio Senate minority leader, was also tapped by Ohio gubernatorial candidate Ed FitzGerald as his choice for lieutenant governor in 2014.

Keep the change

Legislation that passed the U.S. House of Representatives aims to transfer unclaimed money recovered at airport security checkpoints to nonprofit organizations that provide places of rest and recuperation at airports for members of the Armed Forces and their families. According to the House Homeland Security Committee, the Transportation Security Administration makes on average $465,285 from airport check points annually.

U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce, R-Russell Township, voted in support of the measure that moves on to the U.S. Senate.

“It’s a simple concept, but certainly a worthy one, considering the sacrifices made by our troops every day,” Joyce said in an email.

Swearing-in event

Three winners in the Nov. 5 election will be sworn-in at 1 p.m. Dec. 18 at Cardinal High School by Ohio Supreme Court Justice William M. O’Neill.

Nancy Ferguson will be sworn-in for Cardinal School Board; Richard Seyer and Ronald Wiech will be sworn in for Middlefield Village Council.

The swearing-in will be held in conjunction with the high school government/politics class to include the students in the political process and to demonstrate the importance of exercising the right and responsibility to vote.

Deadlines

The weekly deadline to submit information for this column is each Wednesday by 5 p.m. Email or fax is preferred.

Fundies

• Campaign kickoff for Lake County Juvenile Court Judge Karen Lawson, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Jan. 16 at LaMalfa Party Center in Mentor. See Lu Dunlap.

John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @newsheraldjah

The race for governor in 2014 came into a sharper focus this week when Democratic candidate Ed FitzGerald announced state Sen. Eric Kearney would serve as his running mate.

FitzGerald, who next year will finish up his term as the first elected Cuyahoga County executive, picked the lifelong Cincinnati resident as his choice for lieutenant governor.

Kearney has served as an Ohio state senator since 2005 and is currently the Ohio Senate’s minority leader. He is subject to term limits and is not eligible to run next year for another term in the Ohio Senate.

In a campaign email, FitzGerald said Kearney is known as someone who can get things done and is able to reach across party lines.

After the announcement, the FitzGerald campaign made stops across the state as part of a two-day tour visiting Cincinnati, Dayton and Toledo on day one. The next day stops were in Youngstown, Cleveland and Columbus.

The Ohio Republican Party issued a statement from Party Chairman Matt Borges stating the next election will offer a clear contrast between Gov. John Kasich and his running mate Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor.

Borges criticized Kearney for opposing the state budget and the tax cuts contained within it and that he supports the Affordable Care Act.

In a campaign email, state Sen. Nina Turner, a Cleveland Democrat who represents Ohio Senate District 25 that includes half of Lake County, applauded the choice of Kearney.

Turner also will be part of the Ohio Democratic Party’s statewide ticket next year as she has announced plans to run for Ohio Secretary of State most likely against incumbent Jon Husted.

One of the biggest challenges FitzGerald will have next year is to broaden his name recognition across the state, especially south of the Cleveland media market.

Kearney may help FitzGerald. Kearney, who is black, also provides the ticket with racial diversity.

So perhaps the selection of Kearney will help awaken additional support for FitzGerald in a race that a recent poll sponsored by the Ohio Democratic Party suggests is a dead head.

It also remains to be seen how or if online reports Friday in publications such as the Cleveland Plain Dealer and Cincinnati Enquirer that discussed Kearney owing thousands of dollars on a tax lien will hurt the campaign.

It’s important to note that when people vote for governor they typically are voting for the candidate at the top of the ticket, not for the lieutenant governor.

However, it is the job of the running mate to help the gubernatorial candidate win.

Happy trails

Congratulations to Painesville Township Trustees Jeanette Crislip and Jim Falvey as each rounds up a lengthy career as a trustee.

Neither trustee sought re-election earlier this month and will retire from their respective office.

Falvey attended his last trustee meeting this past week, and Crislip is slated to attend her last meeting next month.

Taken out petitions

Lake County Auditor Edward H. Zupancic has taken out candidacy petitions from the county Elections Board to seek re-election in 2014.

Recently signing in with the Elections Board on behalf U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce to take out petitions for U.S. House of Representatives District 14 was Dino DiSanto, chief of staff for Joyce.

The filing deadline to run for partisan primaries next year is Feb. 5.

Event

The Geauga County Democratic Party will host a Thanksgiving potluck dinner at 6 p.m. Saturday at party headquarters in Newbury Township.

Fundies

• Fundraiser for state Rep. Ron Young, 6 p.m. Dec. 5 at Quail Hollow Resort in Concord Township. See Young.
• Geauga County Republican Party Christmas Party, Dec. 6 at Chagrin Valley Athletic Club in Bainbridge. See Ed Ryder or Frank Gliha.

John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @newsheraldjah