WARREN — Mark Munroe, chairman of the Mahoning County Republican Party, is stepping aside today after leading the county GOP for nine years.

The party’s central committee will meet 7 p.m. tonight to pick Munroe’s replacement — party first vice chairman and deputy director of the Mahoning County Board of Elections, Tom McCabe, who will complete an unexpired four-year term that started in June.

Munroe, who has 40 years of service to the party under his belt, said leaving now makes sense because 2019 will be a relatively quiet year for elections and the party is set up for future success. Republican registrations have more than doubled in recent years and strides have been made getting GOP candidates such as Ralph Meacham, Mahoning County auditor, re-elected and the election of state Rep. Don Manning, R-New Middletown, and state Sen. Michael Rulli, R-Salem. Now also gives McCabe time to ready the party for the 2020 elections, which includes the race for president.

“It was a good time to pass the baton,” Munroe said.

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