The Ohio House Republican Caucus named Alessandro “Al” Cutrona, a political newcomer and a recently registered Republican, as Don Manning’s successor to represent the 59th District.

Cutrona, 30, of Canfield, was among 15 candidates who applied for the seat. That list was reduced to four finalists two weeks ago. Those four were brought back for a second interview last week with Cutrona’s appointment announced Thursday.

He also was sworn in Thursday to fill the remainder of Manning’s term, which ends Dec. 31.

Cutrona will be the Republican nominee for the seat.

The 59th District includes all of Beaver, Beloit, Berlin, Boardman, Canfield, Craig Beach, Ellsworth, Goshen, Green, Jackson, Milton, New Middletown, Poland, Sebring, Smith, Springfield and Washingtonville, along with a small section of Austintown.

While Cutrona has been a registered voter since 2008, he has voted Republican only once — in last month’s primary — while the party was looking for a replacement for Manning.

It was the only time he ever voted in a primary, having cast ballots in the 2008, 2010, 2012, 2016, 2018 and 2019 general elections, according to Mahoning County Board of Elections records.

Mahoning County Republican Party Chairman Thomas McCabe said local and state Republicans were aware of Cutrona’s voting record but aren’t concerned.

“He’s given contributions to Republicans,” he said. “He hosted the (Gov. Mike) DeWine fundraiser two years ago. He comes with good conservative credentials.”

Campaign finance reports show during the past three years, Cutrona contributed $300 to DeWine, $1,250 to Attorney General Dave Yost and $425 to state Sen. Michael Rulli of Salem, who are all Republicans. But he also contributed $250 to the campaign of David D’Apolito, a Democrat who unseated Republican Kathleen Bartlett in the 2018 race for judge on the 7th District Court of Appeals.

Poland Village Councilman Sam Moffie, who was among those who applied for the position but wasn’t a finalist, said, “No sour grapes here, but it would have been nice if the Republican Party would have picked a Republican.”

Cutrona will face Chris Stanley of Canfield, a Youngstown city school teacher and author who is also running for elected office for the first time, in the November general election.

Stanley’s record with the board of elections shows he’s voted in Mahoning County only twice in at least the past 15 years. That was in the 2018 general election and as a Democrat for the first time in last month’s election. That means he filed to run for the seat before he was a registered Democrat.

Manning died March 20, less than 15 months into his first term in the Ohio House.

“It’s an honor to be chosen,” Cutrona said in a prepared statement. “The Mahoning Valley suffered a devastating blow with the loss of Don Manning. I hope I am viewed not as a replacement for Don, but rather a person that continues his achievements and carries on his legacy.”

He added: “I will swiftly get to work in order for the questions, ideas and concerns of residents across the area have a voice in Columbus.”

Cutrona is an attorney at Amourgis & Associates, a consumer bankruptcy law firm based in Independence with a Canfield office, and chief operating officer / in-house legal counsel for Northeastern Ohio Infectious Disease Association, a physician practice in Youngstown.

House Speaker Larry Householder, R-Glenford, said: “Don Manning served his constituents in Mahoning County with a passion and thoroughly enjoyed his work as a legislator. I am confident that Al Cutrona will bring that same passion for the Valley to this seat and serve the people he represents well.”

In his May 5 letter to House Republicans seeking the position, Cutrona wrote: “I am so passionate about this position, that if selected, I will immediately deposit $50,000 into my campaign account in efforts to secure this seat in November.”

He added in the letter that he “would continue on as a loyal Republican team player and carry on the work that Don Manning has started. I will utilize my education and experience to create vital legislation that will increase business growth / development, health care infrastructure and protect conservative views.”

In response to Cutrona’s appointment, Stanley said: “Republicans in Columbus can name their candidate, but I am placing my trust in the wisdom and common sense of the voters in Mahoning County to elect someone who will work for them. Republicans in Columbus have turned their backs on us.”

Cutrona earned a law degree in 2016 from Case Western Reserve University School of Law, a bachelor’s degree in political science and history from Youngstown State University in 2012 and is a 2008 Canfield High School graduate.

McCabe said: “It was a great process. We started with good candidates and a strong final four. We had four great people. We would have been happy with any of the four. It was tough for Columbus to decide. (Cutrona) is an attorney and has a background in the health industry. He’s going to win in November.”

Cutrona and three other candidates emerged as finalists after initial interviews were held May 11 and 12 with a six-member screening committee of Ohio House Republicans.

The other finalists were:

• Holly A. Deibel of North Lima, who co-owns Boardman Steel, a structural steel company, and is a former Mahoning Valley Republican Women’s Club president.

• Joseph P. Alessi of North Lima, a retired Army lieutenant colonel and currently a part-time YSU faculty member.

• Perry Alexandrides Jr. of Poland, a regional liaison for the Ohio auditor’s office who has previously served as a regional liaison for the secretary of state’s office and as an Ohio Republican Party regional director.

dskolnick@tribtoday.com