Local Trump enthusiasm high

November 22, 2019

The enthusiasm level for Donald Trump in the Mahoning Valley remains high as evidenced by a packed crowd hanging on every word spoken by U.S. Rep. Devin Nunes, the ranking Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, as he praised the president and compared Democrats to cockroaches. Nunes, R-Tulare, Calif., spoke last week to an audience of 560 at a Mahoning County Republican Party dinner at the Maronite Center in Youngstown. This came on the second day of the committee’s impeachment inquiry into Trump. Before Nunes arrived, I spoke with a number of people at the dinner to get ...

Tim Ryan poised for key House role

November 15, 2019

A recent announcement from a Gary, Ind., congressman that he wouldn’t seek re-election next year could result in a huge benefit to the Mahoning Valley. That Democratic congressman, U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky, heads the powerful House Appropriations Committee’s Defense Subcommittee. It’s the largest appropriations subcommittee, with a $622 billion budget. Visclosky’s retirement means U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Howland — should he win re-election next year to his 10th two-year term — is poised to become defense’s vice chairman or possibly its chairman. Of course, the Democrats ...

Election preparation and interesting races

November 8, 2019

Because of deadlines, reporters write outlines of election stories before the results come in. That's what I did before Tuesday's election. Uncertain about what would happen in Youngstown's 7th Ward council seat, I wrote two scenarios for the city council article. I wrote that it was a Democrat sweep with the assumption that Councilwoman Basia Adamczak won in the 7th Ward and another with Donald P. Scott becoming the first independent council candidate to be elected in 24 years. Instead, there was a tie. A tie? A tie! When I received the results at the Mahoning County Board ...

Money plays major role in races

November 1, 2019

“Money is the mother’s milk of politics.” While Tuesday’s election is a relatively low-key one — particularly when you consider the presidential election is next year — the amount of money in some of the local elections in the Mahoning Valley is noteworthy. For one candidate, it’s absolutely staggering. Randy Law, who’s running as an independent candidate for Warren mayor, raised and spent no money, according to his pre-general election campaign finance reports. But America’s Tomorrow, a Marietta-based political action committee, gave Law’s campaign $117,963 ...

Valley hopefuls rev up for 2020

October 25, 2019

I’m not trying to look past this election, but with the 2020 primary moved to March 17 because of the presidential race, the filing deadline for next year is right around the corner. Dec. 18 is the deadline for those wanting to run in the primary. That gives Republicans and Democrats less than eight weeks to turn in nominating petitions. In both Mahoning and Trumbull counties, there are elections for two county commissioners, prosecutor, recorder, treasurer, coroner, engineer, sheriff in addition to judicial seats. In Mahoning, there are three common pleas seats as well as domestic ...

Ryan’s fundraising stunningly bad

October 18, 2019

Embarrassing low, poor and anemic are just a few words to describe U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan’s presidential campaign fundraising total for the third quarter. I thought it was going to be difficult for Ryan, D-Howland, to do worse than he did during the second quarter when he raised $889,398.86. It was the lowest amount among any of the 20 candidates who made the stage during the first two Democratic presidential debates in June and July. It was also less than two candidates who didn’t qualify for the debates. When his latest report was released Tuesday, the amount raised was stunningly ...