State Rep. Matt Lynch said Friday he has no plans to drop out of a Republican primary against incumbent U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce for Ohio’s 14th Congressional District.

Lynch, R-Bainbridge Township, filed to run against Joyce, R-Russell Township, rather than seek re-election to his seat in the Ohio House of Representatives District 76.

“I’m in it to win it,” Lynch said. “I have no plans or intentions of doing anything other than to win.”

Sarah LaTourette, a Bainbridge Township Republican who is the daughter of former U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette, filed to run for the Ohio House 76th District seat.

After Sarah LaTourette filed to run for the Ohio House seat, Lynch would have a primary had he filed for re-election.

“My only reluctance to run for Congress was (Joyce) was a Republican incumbent,” Lynch said. "Once LaTourette showed me it was OK to challenge a Republican, I went ahead."

He said that he has begun to receive some financial support for his congressional campaign.

“I’m collecting support from liberty groups from all across Ohio,” Lynch said.

He declined to name some of those supporters specifically saying he would rather let them speak for themselves.

Lynch said the weekend after the Feb. 5 deadline to file to run in a partisan primary he received calls from Washington and was on a plane to D.C. on March 10.

“It’s really a national campaign because of the tension that has developed between the conservative wing and what some would call the establishment part of the party,” he said.

Lynch said he hasn’t spoken personally with Joyce since filing to run in the primary, but has exchanged voicemails with the congressman and anticipates seeing him throughout the campaign.

“I have no personal animosity with David,” Lynch said. “I’ve known him for over 25 years.”

The winner of the May 6 Republican primary moves on to face Democrat Michael Wager of Moreland Hills and Solon Libertarian David Macko in the Nov. 4 election.

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

The filing deadline on Wednesday saw a flurry of activity as candidates jockeyed to see who would run for different offices in Lake and Geauga counties.

Eyes focused on Sarah LaTourette to see if she would file to run for Ohio House of Representatives District 76.

The Bainbridge Township Republican, who is the daughter of former U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette, filed with the Geauga County Elections Board in Chardon less than two hours before the 4 p.m. deadline. It prompted a small chain reaction. Apparently, no Republicans wanted to challenge her.

With about 20 minutes to go before the deadline, state Rep. Matt Lynch, also a Bainbridge Township Republican, filed with the Lake County Elections Board in Painesville to run for Congress rather than run for re-election and trigger a primary against Sarah LaTourette.

Lynch’s decision then forced a Republican primary against incumbent U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce, R-Russell Township.

Rumors were that Walter “Skip” Claypool was going to run for the state representative seat if Sarah LaTourette didn’t run.

After she filed, Claypool filed to run for the Geauga County commissioner Jan. 1 term to trigger a GOP primary against incumbent Commissioner Mary Samide.

You’ll remember back in 2012 when Geauga County Commissioner Bill Young retired and the county GOP appointed Claypool as commissioner until the November election.

At that same time, the party appointed Samide, rather than Claypool, to be the party’s nominee for that election to fill the unexpired term, which she won.

It didn’t take long for the Joyce vs. Lynch Republican congressional primary race to get started as verbal fireworks quickly emerged.

Joyce’s campaign manager Kevin Benacci issued a statement Wednesday after the filing deadline bringing up Lynch’s late property tax payment in 2012 and attacked him for voting against the state budget last year.

Lynch posted a press release on his website Thursday calling Joyce a “liberal Republican” and “selling out conservatives more than any other Republican congressman in Ohio.”

Probably the person most pleased by this development would be Moreland Hills Democrat Michael Wager, who is unopposed in a Democratic primary for Ohio’s 14th Congressional District.

Perhaps with a GOP primary, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee takes a greater interest in the November race?

Sad note

I was heartbroken to learn that Deborah Setliff died this week after a long illness.

Setliff was the press secretary to former congressman LaTourette and previously worked stints as a reporter and columnist for the Cleveland Plain Dealer and as a reporter for The News-Herald.

I didn’t work with her during her newspaper career, but I spent a lot of time talking with her on my beat when she worked for the congressman.

Setliff had a quick wit about her and sometimes her comments would just make me laugh out loud, but she was serious about work.

If ever there was a mistake, you could be assured that she would be on the phone that morning to let you know.

I’m not alone when I say she definitely will be missed.

Arrangements are being handled by the Stroud-Lawrence Funeral Home, and her obituary can be found here: http://bit.ly/1eFxVGi.

Event

Geauga County Democratic Party hosts Spaghetti Dinner Served with Hot Top doors open at 5:30 Feb. 20 at party headquarters in Newbury Township. Chardon Municipal Court Judge Terri Stupica will discuss the Geauga County Opiate Task Force and what families need to know about the influx of heroin and opiates.

Fundies

• Fundraiser for Wager hosted by former Gov. Ted Strickland, 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Fire Food and Drink in Shaker Heights. See Ashton Narzisi.
• Dick Shreve, candidate for Lake County commissioner, hosts a fundraiser 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Feb. 18 at the Willoughby Brewing Company. See Shreve.
• Lisa Klammer, candidate for Lake County Probate Court judge, hosts a fundraiser, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Feb. 20 at LaMalfa Party Center in Mentor. See Randy Klammer.
• Lake County Commissioner Daniel P. Troy hosts Mardi Gras Party on Fat Tuesday, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. March 4 at LaMalfa Party Center. See Kip Molenaar.

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

The decision about who runs for Ohio House of Representatives District 76 may just determine whether there is a Republican primary for Ohio’s 14th Congressional District.

State Rep. Matt Lynch, R-Bainbridge Township, might not seek re-election to his seat in the Ohio House of Representatives that represents a large portion of Geauga County and a smaller section of Portage County.

Lynch has pulled petitions to seek re-election to his position as a state representative, but he also has pulled petitions to run for Ohio’s 14th Congressional District that is currently represented by U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce, R-Russell Township. Joyce has filed to run for re-election.

The congressional district consists of all of Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula counties, plus portions of Cuyahoga, Portage, Summit and Trumbull counties.

Lynch appears to be deciding what office to pick, and he may have a primary opponent for either race.

Sarah LaTourette, a Bainbridge Township Republican and daughter of former U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette, is considering running for Ohio House of Representatives District 76. She has pulled petitions, but hasn’t filed yet.

If Sarah LaTourette were to run for the Ohio House, I would think she could get some help from her father’s connections, especially since he is the president of the Main Street Partnership in Washington D.C., which seeks to help elect moderate Republicans across the country.

It may be a tough road for Lynch to take on Joyce, a first-term congressman who already has $1,141,353 in his campaign account, according to his latest filing.

Of course, how much money is raised and spent doesn’t mean it’s impossible to beat someone with such a financial headstart, but it certainly won’t make it easy.

According to the last Ohio House campaign spending report Lynch filed back in July, he had $2,747 available to spend, but he also listed more than $32,000 in debts and loans owed by his campaign. Unless he’s had a lot of contributions since, he won’t have much of a financial headstart in an Ohio House race.

Of course, Sarah LaTourette has yet to even file, so Lynch would have some advantage already having campaigned previously in the district.

Decisions may come down to the final hours before the 4 p.m. deadline Wednesday for partisan candidates to be eligible to run in the May 6 primary. Who blinks and files first?

If Sarah LaTourette runs, and then Lynch runs for Congress, wouldn’t that be interesting? You’ll recall Joyce succeeded Steve LaTourette in Congress, and now the former congressman’s daughter potentially entering an Ohio House race could prompt a primary for Joyce.

Fascinating too that Joyce may face a primary challenger from someone who is from the same county, especially since Joyce has such a headstart raising the dollars to run a campaign.

Lynch has earned a reputation as one of the more conservative members of the Ohio House of Representatives. Perhaps he would get some financial backing from similarly aligned supporters and groups if he runs for Congress. He likely would get them in a bid for re-election.

Even so, with just three months to put together a campaign, support staff along with opposition research and a media campaign, would Lynch be able to unseat Joyce?

On the Democratic side, Moreland Hills resident Michael Wager is the only candidate to file for the congressional seat. Will any other Democrats file? Wager’s last campaign finance report showed he has $347,645 available.

It’s starting to look doubtful Lake County Commissioner Daniel P. Troy, a Willowick Democrat, will run for Congress, as he has pondered, and much more likely he’ll seek re-election. Troy will host a campaign fundraiser in March and information he sent out indicates he’s running for re-election as commissioner, although he hasn’t officially made a decision.

Three Republicans have filed to run for commissioner. After North Perry Village Councilman Dick Shreve filed first, the latest to enter the race are Concord Township Trustee Christopher Galloway and Willoughby resident Kim Laurie, who is president of the 9/12 Project in Mentor.

Fundies

• Lisa Klammer, candidate for Lake County Probate Court judge, hosts a fundraiser, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Feb. 20 at LaMalfa Party Center in Mentor. See Randy Klammer.
• Troy hosts Mardi Gras Party and Fat Tuesday, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. March 4 at LaMalfa Party Center. See Kip Molenaar.

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

The political silly season is in full swing and I’m hearing some potentially interesting developments in the Lake and Geauga counties political rumor mill that I wanted to pass along.

With the Feb. 5 filing deadline for partisan candidates to run in the May 6 primary getting closer there could be some potentially interesting races in the making.

I’m told that state Rep. Matt Lynch, R-Bainbridge Township, might not seek re-election to the Ohio House of Representatives District 76.

Instead, he might run to represent Ohio’s 14th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives against incumbent U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce, R-Russell Township.

The word is that Sarah LaTourette, a Bainbridge Township Republican and daughter of former U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette, is considering running for Ohio House of Representatives District 76 and Lynch would rather not run against her.

Sarah LaTourette has pulled candidacy petitions to run for the Ohio House of Representatives seat along with Lynch, who also has taken out petitions to run for the congressional seat.

Both races would require 50 valid signatures to get on the ballot.

If Sarah LaTourette were to run one would be likely to think she could get some help from her father’s connections especially since he is the president of the Main Street Partnership in Washington D.C. that seeks to help elect moderate Republicans across the country.

Fascinating too that Joyce may face a primary challenger from someone who is from the same county especially since Joyce has such a headstart raising the dollars to run a campaign.

Plus, you’ll recall that Joyce succeeded LaTourette in Congress and now the former congressman’s daughter potentially entering an Ohio House race could prompt a primary for Joyce.

Lynch has earned a reputation as one of the more conservative members of the Ohio House of Representatives so perhaps he would get some solid financial backing from similarly aligned supporters and groups, if he runs for Congress.

So far, Joyce is the only candidate to have filed candidacy petitions for the office with the Lake County Elections Board, where they must be filed as it is the largest county of the seven within the congressional district. No Democrats have filed either.

Similarly, no one has filed to run with the Geauga County Elections Board for Ohio House of Representatives District 76.

So it all could be speculation and in the end there are no surprises, but we still have nine more days to go and it should be fun to see what develops.

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