Lawrence Township Trustee Michael D. Stevens narrowly lost to Celeste DeHoff in the March 4th primary.The question is: Will he support fellow-"Democrat" DeHoff.
The STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) thinks not.
That is not to say he will support Republican Todd Snitchler. But Stevens and other 50th District Democrats will be sitting this election out. If DeHoff is to win, it will have to be a stunning upset; notwithstanding that DeHoff has Democratic party boss Johnnie A. Maier, Jr's undying support.
Stevens will not support DeHoff for a number of reasons including: the fact that one of her supporters (certainly one would think with DeHoff's blessing) filed a complaint against Stevens with the Ohio Elections Commission (which The Report understands has been dismissed); DeHoff was unhappy with Stevens post-primary election employment with the city of Massillon and complained to a Massillon councilperson; DeHoff comes off as being unfriendly to organized labor (to say the least - witness the Tuscarawas Township trustees firing of two Teamsters) and Stevens has a storied union connection, and DeHoff recently (four years ago) turned from Republican to Democrat.
So DeHoff has cooked her own goose in what was going to be an uphill fight with everything going her way.
The 50th is gerrymandered to favor Republican candidate which probably will be offset this election cycle because voters are looking for Democrats across the nation at local, state and national levels. Also, the Ohio Democratic House Caucus is making the 50th a targeted district which hasn't happened since the days that Maier was elected to the old 56th (which was not gerrymandered Republican in those days because it had Massillon and all of Perry Township in its boundaries).
Agree or disagree with The Report analysis? If you agree, why? If you disagree, why?
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