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Previewing ’22 legislative races

Preparing for next year’s election, some state legislators in the Mahoning Valley have a decent amount of cash in their campaign funds.

One of those in a comfortable financial position is state Rep. Michael J. O’Brien, D-Warren, who had $59,547.61 in his campaign fund as of June 30.

But O’Brien cannot run for re-election next year because of the state term limits law. He said he’ll have a decision soon on seeking another elected office.

Signs point to him running next year for Trumbull County commissioner — a job he held years ago — and challenging Frank Fuda, the incumbent and a fellow Democrat. O’Brien is likely in the race regardless of whether Fuda runs.

Fuda angered Trumbull Democratic Party officials with his endorsement last year of Republican Niki Frenchko for commissioner against party Chairman Dan Polivka, who was the incumbent and lost. Fuda and Polivka don’t get along and for months, Fuda has regretted endorsing Frenchko, with whom he disagrees frequently.

Fuda didn’t get the county party’s endorsement for commissioner in 2018 and he’s not getting it next year. Also, because of his Frenchko endorsement, the Niles Democratic Club — of which he’s been a member for more than 50 years and is his hometown Democratic group — suspended Fuda for two years, thus making him ineligible to get its endorsement.

With O’Brien unable to run again for the Ohio House, Republicans see an opportunity to get Nick Santucci of Howland elected to that seat.

Santucci filed a designation of treasurer May 4, which allowed him to raise money. As of June 30, he had collected $19,075.

It’s a good start, and Santucci is far from done. He had a major fundraiser July 13, after the filing deadline, and is sure to get a lot of financial assistance from state Republicans.

The two Democrats who’ve announced for the seat so far — Vincent Peterson II of Howland and Bria Bennett of Warren Township — likely won’t be able to compete with Santucci financially. But the district leans Democratic, and with redistricting, it is likely to lean a bit more.

However, leaning Democratic doesn’t guarantee anything.

The Ohio House 63rd District, which takes in the rest of Trumbull County, was a Democratic stronghold for years. But Republicans provided the needed money in 2020 to Michael Loychik, R-Bazetta, while Democrats did next to nothing for then-incumbent Gil Blair of Weathersfield.

Loychik beat Blair.

Loychik’s fundraising in the first half of this year was virtually nonexistent as he raised $2,250, all from political action committees, and spent $1,922.18, primarily to pay for what was described on his finance report as campaign meetings at various bars and restaurants in Columbus.

Loychik had $15,330.53 in his campaign fund as of June 30. He depended on the generosity of Republican House members to get him into office and will likely do the same in the 2022 election.

Loychik doesn’t have an announced opponent yet, but John Moliterno, a Girard at-Large councilman and executive director of the Western Reserve Port Authority, is strongly considering a challenge.

Like O’Brien, state Rep. Michele Lepore-Hagan, D-Youngstown, can’t run next year for

re-election because of the term limits law.

Her state fund had $21,454.36 in it as of June 30.

Lepore-Hagan said she is considering a state Senate bid next year and her husband, Robert, may be interested in the state House seat.

Decisions will be made by the end of September, she said.

Robert Hagan served eight years in the House and had to leave because of term limits and was succeeded by his wife. Hagan also spent eight years in the state Senate and before that, a decade in the House (term limits in Ohio didn’t start until January 1993).

Skolnick covers politics for the Tribune Chronicle.

dskolnick@tribtoday.com

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