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WARREN -- With a number of candidates lining up to challenge Trumbull County Commissioner Niki Frenchko, she is giving consideration to instead challenging Mauro Cantalamessa, the other incumbent up for re-election next year.
"I slayed a giant by beating Dan (Polivka in 2020), I ran Frank (Fuda) out, so why not cut the head off the snake by getting rid of Mauro?" Frenchko said. "I'm contemplating it because Democrats and Republicans alike are sick of the Cantalamessa way of doing things."
In response, Cantalamessa said: "If the Cantalamessa way of doing things means owning a business, paying taxes in Trumbull County and employing literally hundreds of people over a 50-year period then I'm not sure what Commissioner Frenchko is thinking about. I'm not sure what the continual attacks of my family has to do with this race. I think it's classless and unprofessional."
Frenchko, a Republican serving her first four-year term as commissioner, and Cantalamessa, a Democrat who's been a commissioner since 2014, are up for re-election next year.
The two don't get along, having numerous disputes.
Frenchko also has issues with Commissioner Denny Malloy, a fellow Republican, and had them with Fuda, a Democrat who helped her in her 2020 race against Polivka.
Fuda, who frequently argued with Frenchko after she got into office, chose last year not to seek re-election.
"It's been a challenge to work with Niki," Cantalamessa said. "You don't want it to be personal. But with her, there's an inability to do that. There's resentment and personal animus that makes it difficult to work with someone who doesn't want to be professional."
Cantalamessa said there are times he's disagreed with other county commissioners, calling it "healthy and good."
But with Frenchko, he said it's different.
"When it turns into personal animosity or accusations with half-truths, it's an issue," he said.
Frenchko has pulled nominating petitions for her seat and for Cantalamessa's, and said she hasn't decided which to seek.
In just the past two months, the commissioners have approved settlements of $250,000 and $225,000 with two employees over lawsuits filed claiming Frenchko harassed them.
Asked about Frenchko's potential challenge, Cantalamessa said: "It doesn't change what I do."
Frenchko said she is looking at a possible run against Cantalamessa because "I don't want to be in the same situation where I'm working with the same two clowns," meaning Cantalamessa and Malloy.
GOP OPPOSITION
If Frenchko runs for the seat she holds, she will face Republican opposition. Hubbard Township Trustee Rick Hernandez, who lost the 2022 GOP primary for a commissioner's spot, said he definitely is going to be a candidate for Frenchko's office.
"My primary reason for running is the chaos and the toxicity created in that office" by Frenchko, Hernandez said.
Hernandez said he is "amazed" that Cantalamessa and Malloy "can get anything done" with Frenchko serving.
"She definitely doesn't have leadership skills and people skills," he said. "I have that plus empathy and I'd create a good work environment rather than what is currently happening" with Frenchko. "She creates chaos and embarrassment. What we currently have is division. She's not right for the job."
Frenchko dismissed Hernandez as "using the same buzzwords the Democrats use against me."
Hernandez was elected in 2018 as a Democratic central committee member. He dissociated himself from the Democratic Party on Jan. 24, 2022, a few weeks before the filing deadline and filed for the Republican primary, unsuccessfully running against Malloy for the GOP nomination last year for commissioner. Hernandez said he no longer agreed with the national Democratic party's positions on a number of issues, and says he has a good relationship with Cantalamessa and Malloy.
DEMOCRATS
On the Democratic side, John Brown, Warren City Council president who previously served as a Warren 2nd and 3rd Ward councilman and councilman at-Large, said he is going to run for Frenchko's seat. He says the constant fighting among the commissioners and some of its staff is unnecessary.
Also, Polivka, a Democrat who served 16 years as commissioner before losing by 4.66 percent in 2020 to Frenchko, said he is "giving very strong consideration" to running for Frenchko's spot.
"The county is in a sad state of affairs," he said. "It's been a derailment with county government, and I want to get the train back on the tracks. It's not good for our county or for businesses."
Polivka added: "Niki Frenchko's craziness has cost Trumbull County taxpayers" a lot of money.
Frenchko said of Polivka: "I'm still cleaning up the mess of decades of issues from Dan. How unfortunate it would be to move backwards with Dan. It's troubling."
EVEN MORE
Others who have taken out nominating petitions for Frenchko's commissioner seat include Democrat Michele Garman, a Mathews school board member; Douglas Austin Parker Jr. of Howland as a Republican; Corey Hovance of Howland, president of the Warren Italian-American Heritage Festival, as an independent; and Marcella Simoudis of Howland as a Republican.
Like Frenchko, Simoudis took out petitions for both commissioner spots.
Barry Profato of Niles, a former councilman in the city, has petitions to run for an unspecified commissioner seat as an independent.
Dec. 20 is the filing deadline for the March 19, 2024, primary. The day before the primary is the deadline for independents to file for the Nov. 5, 2024, general election.
'MORE THE MERRIER'
Frenchko said if she runs for her seat, she wouldn't be bothered by all of the challengers.
"If I ended up with a lot of competition, the more the merrier," she said "It's better for the incumbent. Not as many against Mauro though is concerning."
Tony Bernard of Howland, a former county commissioner in the 1970s and owner of Bernard's Garden in Champion, said he is planning to run as a Republican against Cantalamessa.
"There are a lot of people not satisfied with the way things are going on" in the county, Bernard said. "We need a different approach in the commissioners' office. We need to change the tone."
As for challenging Cantalamessa, Bernard said: "After 10 years, if you can't do the job, what can you do with four more years? It's time for a new direction. He's been there long enough."
Cantalamessa said the county has accomplished a lot during his time as commissioner, including helping small businesses, expanding sewer lines, keeping the county's sales tax low, increasing broadband access, growing infrastructure and he's worked "in a bipartisan manner with Denny Malloy."
Regarding Bernard, Cantalamessa said, "I have a record of real change and bipartisanship. He can talk all the talking points, but we're moving Trumbull County forward. He doesn't know half the issues. We need forward thinkers."
If Frenchko runs for Cantalamessa's seat, she'd face Bernard in the Republican primary.
She called Bernard, Polivka and Brown "recycled politicians."
Frenchko also said the county Republican party leadership doesn't back her and the party should be "focused on filling the slate with good candidates." Frenchko said the party hasn't invited her to the past two officer meetings.
Frenchko said she is "disagreeable," but is challenging the way things are done for the betterment of the county.
"I need to work with people who have the same desire to improve the county and not maintain the status quo," she said. "They've tried everything to get me to quit, leave, go away and none of it is working. I'm the only one trying to bring the county into the current century and I'm called the problem one. It's difficult to be an experienced administrator in a swamp of politics."