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David Skolnick

Vance backing Moreno won’t scare others

As a U.S. senator for less than five months, Republican J.D. Vance is hardly in a position to be a kingmaker. But he's giving it a try, endorsing Westlake businessman Bernie Moreno in next year's Republican primary for Ohio's other Senate seat held by Democrat Sherrod Brown. In his Moreno endorsement, Vance said: "It's time to turn the tides on the establishment insiders who sell out our country to special interests and elect more political outsiders like Bernie, who will always put America first in Washington, D.C." Like Vance, Moreno made his fortune in the private sector before ...

Dutton was a driving force in Valley

Paul Dutton was one of the first people who helped me better understand the Mahoning Valley when I moved here in 1995. Sadly, Dutton died May 7 at the age of 76. It was hard to not be impressed by Dutton, though he was a humble and modest person who never bragged about his many ...

Vance stands up to Cruz on rail bill

When it comes to his bill to increase rail safety after the East Palestine train derailment disaster, criticizing fellow Republicans who oppose it doesn’t concern U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance. The freshman Republican senator from Cincinnati responded to criticism from U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, to the bill during a Wednesday session of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. Cruz said he is open to rail reforms, but that the bill co-sponsored by Vance and U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Cleveland, goes too far. Cruz said the bill would “empower” Transportation ...

Trumbull voter turnout higher than some expected but still dismal

Turnout in odd-year primaries is typically bad, and this was no exception. It was 9.76 percent in Mahoning County and 15.32 percent in Trumbull County. Those aren’t percentages of county residents or even all registered voters. That’s just those who were eligible to vote. In Mahoning County, there were 48,825 people who were eligible to vote in the primary. Of that number, 4,763 voted. It was a little better in Trumbull County. Of the 85,454 registered voters eligible to vote in Trumbull, 13,090 voted. Stephanie Penrose, Trumbull County Board of Elections director, had ...

Turnout poor for primary

Turnout in odd-year primaries is typically bad, and this was no exception. It was 9.76 percent in Mahoning County and 15.32 percent in Trumbull County. Those arenát percentages of county residents or even all registered voters. That's just those who were eligible to vote. In Mahoning County, there were 48,825 people who were eligible to vote in the primary. Of that number, 4,763 voted. It was a little better in Trumbull County. Of the 85,454 registered voters eligible to vote in Trumbull, 13,090 voted. Stephanie Penrose, Trumbull County Board of Elections director, had predicted ...

Money is key to LaRose Senate bid

If Secretary of State Frank LaRose believes he can raise the money needed to financially compete, he said he will run for the U.S. Senate in 2024. LaRose told me he will decide by summer, but he talked as if he will run. He said: “It’s not a question of desire. It’s not a question of whether my heart’s in it. It’s a question of practicality and building the kind of support necessary to do it. Would I love to serve in the U.S. Senate? I absolutely would.” Two other Republicans declared their candidacy to challenge incumbent U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Cleveland, in next ...