Discussion Point: Can Celeste DeHoff catch Snitchler - Ohio House: 50th

A BATTLEGROUND DISTRICT THAT DEMOCRATS MUST WIN IF THEY ARE TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE OHIO HOUSE

Historically, since the days that Ohio Republicans gerrymandered the 50th District to ensure that no one other than a Republican can win this seat, Republicans have indeed won this seat by an approximate 58% to 42% margin since the 2000 election.

So in my estimation Democrat (recently a Republican) Celeste DeHoff (acolyte to Stark County Democratic Party chair Johnnie A. Maier, Jr.) has a long way to go to catch up to the true Republican candidate Todd Snitchler on the numbers alone - let alone a discussion on the relative merits of the two candidacies.

As if those odds are not enough to overcome (i.e. 58% to 42% historically), DeHoff who got only 38% of the primary vote in the Democratic primary on March 4th, has to convince yours truly, Mike Stevens, Vincent Strasavich and Nick Guarnari (the other candidates in the field) to support her candidacy.

It may seem to be a no brainer. Why wouldn't Democrats (in my case, a former Democrat - now self-declared independent), support the party nominee?

A possible answer? State party chair Chris Redfern at the behest of DeHoff patron saint Maier put state party money into the DeHoff campaign - not a smart thing to do especially in the case of Lawrence Township Trustee Mike Stevens who narrowly lost to DeHoff.

Especially bitter in my opinion: Mike Stevens, a former state representative, had asked for but was denied state party assistance going back the last two elections cycles.