DISCUSSION: WHOA NOW! STARK COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY CHAIR (DEPUTY DIR STARK CO BD OF ELECTIONS) MARSHALING STARK SUPPORT AGAINST OH SOS BRUNNER?

The STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) has learned that Stark County Republican Party chair Jeff Matthews (also Deputy Director of the Stark County Board of Elections) is trying to rally Stark County officials to oppose certain actions of Ohio Secretary of State and Democrat Jennifer Brunner.

Recently, the lame duck Republican-controlled Ohio General Assembly - in its waning days of the 127th Ohio legislature - passed a bill to shrink the number of early voting days.

Apparently, Matthews is the local face of a rear guard action by the Ohio Republican Party to make Brunner its focal point of political attack. Of course, none of these people opened their mouths when Democrats complained bitterly about how Republican Ken Blackwell ran the office when he was secretary of state.

The STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) has learned that Matthews has specifically asked a number of Stark County public officials to help him rein in Brunner in the spirit of "bipartisanship."

The Report believes this is an indication of how "politically unreal" and naive Jeff Matthews is.

Stark County is dominated by Democratic officeholders. What chance does this guy think that area Democratic officials will join him in this surreal political effort.

What Matthews ought to be devoting his time to is rejuvenating the Stark County Political Party so that Stark Countians have some political competition to choose from. Matthews needs to let state Republicans deal with their differences with Brunner. One more thing, Jeff. Read the

One more thing. A leading Stark County Republican has told The Report that Jeff Matthews and former chair Curt Braden are indistinguishable. The Report's source says that the duo are so tightly bound together that Matthews does not have the ability to strike out on his own in Stark County.

Perhaps that explains his silly foray in to state politics and the attempt to drag Stark Countians in.

A suggestion to the Executive Committee of the Stark County Republican Party.

How about reining Jeff Matthews in!