DEAR EDITOR:

Remember, “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree!” Recently the Ohio Republican State Central Committee reportedly “aborts the endorsement process” in the upcoming Primary Election of 2026. The Ohio Supreme Court will now have four Republican primary candidates, as opposed to a pre-selected candidate.

Throughout Ohio, Republican Party County Central Committees have had internal upheavals. At the epicenter is their elected chairperson. “Not far from the tree,” is the issue of the often-strong-armed primary endorsements pushed forward by the chairperson.

A common thread throughout these counties are chairpersons being renegade, dictatorial, manipulative, tyrannical and driven by revenge against those who dissent. Often by-laws have been strategically contorted ceding power solely to the chairperson. So much so, essentially if not absolutely, nullifying the elected Central Committee Precinct Representatives’ Ohio Revised Code lawful assignment and authority as the Controlling Committee.

Multiple Ohio county Republican Party Central Committees have rejected their chairperson removing them from office. A subsequent task undertaken, rightfully so, has been the rewriting of their committee by-laws.

“Absolute power corrupts absolutely!” Power is like a drug addict’s fix — each high must be greater than the last. Power seized by the chairperson is intoxicating! A quasi-political syndicate thrives. Political tradeoffs, positions and seats of either county or state offices become the commodity of exchange. Political positions become like moving game pieces of a chess game! Add the power of the purse and the political players know how the game works! If you do not play, no endorsement, no money! You suddenly become the enemy of the “Deep State!”

Political fast tracking of party primary endorsements is a two-prong evil. One, it solidifies the power of the Candyman. Secondly, it seeks to eliminate other candidates of the same party resulting in removing the voter’s right and ability to choose.

When the Candyman wants a game with a pre-selected candidate and it all goes wrong, damage control begins! Things on the state level it seems did not go the Candyman’s way.

Chameleons change their physical appearance attempting to avoid detection, the “Nothing to see here! “When the “Candyman” tries to change appearance, it is more like “Put lipstick on a pig, it’s still a pig!”

So, when you hear the 2026 Republican Party Primary will be a “good old-fashioned Republican primary,” the “Candyman” suffered a hole punched in the candy bag!

Stop primary endorsements within the same party! Let the voters decide.

MARK GUY

East Palestine