Secrecy shrouds GOP selection

January 13, 2023

The Trumbull County Republican Party forwarded the names of three candidates — only one lives in the county — to Gov. Mike DeWine to consider for a vacancy on the 11th District Court of Appeals. But how the selection process played out hasn’t been publicly disclosed. David Engler of Weathersfield, an attorney for the past 37 years and a Republican central committeeman, said he tried to contact Chairman Michael Bollas to apply for the position last month, but Bollas never returned his calls. “If there was a process, it was shrouded in secrecy,” Engler said. “I have no idea ...

High cost for failing to follow up

January 5, 2023

State Rep. Derek Merrin was a shoo-in as next Ohio House speaker, but according to a legislator from the Mahoning Valley, his refusal to reach out to fellow Republicans after the GOP House caucus selected him and efforts to punish some cost him one of the most important positions in state ...

Valley delegation goes red

December 30, 2022

In a period of four years, Mahoning and Trumbull counties will have gone from every state legislative member being a Democrat to having five of its six members being a Republican. That transformation will be official Monday when the Legislature starts its new term. Republicans typically had ignored legislative races in Mahoning and Trumbull counties for years because the districts were Democratic strongholds. There was an occasional surprise Republican win, but that was usually short lived with a Democrat capturing the seat in the next election. In other cases, Republicans held ...

Ryan leaves his mark on Valley

December 23, 2022

The first time I met Tim Ryan, he was announcing his plans to run for the state Senate. It was early 2000 and after listening to Ryan, who was 26 years old at the time, I wasn’t impressed. Few gave Ryan a chance to win the Democratic primary, but he pulled off a victory and went on to win the general election. When the area’s congressional seat opened up in 2002 after James A. Traficant Jr.’s convictions and subsequent expulsion from the U.S. House, Ryan asked me and others about his potential candidacy. I told him it was a no-lose situation because he didn’t have to give up ...

Brown faces uphill re-election bid

December 16, 2022

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, the lone statewide officeholder elected as a Democrat, has a target on his back. Brown, D-Cleveland, is up for re-election in 2024 in a state that has swung significantly in favor of Republicans in the past decade and particularly since Donald Trump was elected ...

Iconic Valley politician makes his exit but may be back for encore

December 9, 2022

When it comes to Mahoning Valley politics during the last four decades, few names are better known than Michael J. O’Brien. He’s held several different elected offices in Trumbull County during a 38-year political career. O’Brien was first elected to the 4th Ward seat on Warren City Council in November 1981 at the age of 26. At the time, he was a corrections officer with the city’s police department. O’Brien spent 11 years on Warren council. The first six he represented the 4th Ward and then five years as an at-Large member. After being elected the first time, O’Brien ...