Defeated Ohio House 50th District candidate Celeste DeHoff is said to be a "bit unhappy" about losing her race against Republican Todd Snitchler.Readers of the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) will recall prior posts wherein The Report passed along source information to the effect that DeHoff was so ... off with primary opponent Lawrence Township trustee Mike Stevens (whom she defeated by the narrowest of margins) that she expressed displeasure to Massillon City Council members (probably through her campaign treasurer Kathy Catazaro-Perry) of his being hired by the city of Massillon Cicchinelli Administration.
Of course, DeHoff could not go directly to the mayor because of the acrimonous relationship she has with him over various issues between Tuscarawas Township (where she is a sitting trustee) and the city of Massillon (thoroughly documented various reports by The Massillon Independent).
As pointed out by The Report, if DeHoff was going to win in the 50th in the general election, she had to seek to mend fences with Stevens as well as his local supporters in organized labor.
One would think that her political tactician, strategist, adviser and handler Shane Jackson would have insisted (as a condition of staying on in her campaign) on an Obama-Clintonesque coming together.
Why? Because unless DeHoff had a united front in the general election, she could not win the 50th - even in the Obama effect for Democratic candidates in her favor.
Even if Mike Stevens and his local union allies plus other area oppositionists had come out full bore for DeHoff, given the gerrymandered Republican nature of the district; it would still would have been tough for DeHoff to win. But in the general with bad blood still boiling, there was no path to victory for DeHoff.
Looking at the numbers in her home Tuscarawas Township in the accompanying graphic, one would think DeHoff would be into mending fences post-general election, if she would like to be re-elected Tuscarawas Township trustee.
The Report has learned that DeHoff is not of the "let bygones be bongones" frame of mind - post general election. Sources have told The Report, that their take is that she is in a "comeuppance" modality.
The question: Is DeHoff right to be . . . off, as The Report's sources indicate she is?
If so, does she seek to use the generated steam of being ". . . off" to retribute against those she views as her political enemies if and when the opportunity presents itself?
Or, should she get over it and move forward in a mending fences mode and thusly prepare for new opportunities in the Stark County political realm - perhaps, as a 29th District Democratic Ohio Senate candidate in 2010?
If she choose were to chose the positive tack, doesn't the work have to begin now?
All you need to do is look at the election results in Tuscarawas Township to realize that Celeste DeHoff's political carrer is over in the township. Over 60% of those who voted did not vote for her. In addition, the last time she ran for reelection she only won by TWO votes. She has ...... off too many people in the township.
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