HOW ARE STARK'S LEADING REPUBLICANS DEALING WITH PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE TRUMP FRIDAY DEBACLE?

What a difference 26 days makes, no?

On September 14th, most Stark County Republican political subdivision elected officials/candidates for office in the November 8th general election made their way to Canton Memorial Civic Center for a "date" with GOP presidential candidate.

Mid-September through perhaps through late September and the first presidential debate of the 26th, Donald J. Trump was at the "high water mark" of his candidacy.

It was looking more and more up to the September 26th first debate and his post-debate trashing of form Miss Universe Alicia Machado it was becoming more and more plausible that Trump could actually be elected president of the United States of America.

Post-September 14th appearance. the SCPR spoke with Republican Stark County commissioner Richard Regula who said that up until the 14th and Trump coming to Canton, he was at best "lukewarm" to the Trump candidacy.

Fast forward to today, October 10th, and Regula in a telephone conversation with the SCPR said in essence "a pox on both their houses"  (a SCPR characterization; not Regula's).

And, Regula, would not share with The Report whom he planned to vote for in this election citing his "secret ballot" privilege.

However, he did vigorously criticize Trump for the over-the-weekend (Friday) "caught on tape" revelation wherein Trump talked about women in a derogatory/obscene way and implied that he had taken sexual liberties with unwary "beautiful" women he encountered in his travels.  (LINK to the video/transcrpit for those few readers who may not have seen the "caught on tape")  In last night's debate, Trump denied that he had actually taken action on his words.

Moreover, it seemed apparent from the SCPR/Regula conversation that he is NOT likely to vote for Hillary Clinton in alluding to his belief that she in her own way is every bit as undesirable as Trump is.

On Saturday morning, incumbent Commissioner Regula's Democratic opponent John Mariol came out with this challenge to Regula and impliedly to all Stark County Republican subdivision candidates.

I think any Republican candidate or current office holder (my opponent included) that has endorsed and stood by Donald Trump needs to explain why they are putting party loyalty in front of the dignity of women. The Citizens and more specifically the women of Stark County deserve to know why party loyalty is more important then the dignity of women.

The SCPR has contacted many of Stark's Republican candidates for local office but has only received a smattering of responses, one being this morning's telephone interview with Regula.

One of the most understandable justifications of a local Republican candidate for countywide office in seeing appeal in Trump as the Republican presidential standard bearer came earlier today from a SCPR telephone interview with Republican prosecutor candidate Jeff Jakmides.

Jakmides says that his attraction to Trump is very, very narrow.  And that is "the Wall" that Trump says he wants to build on the U.S./Mexico border stop the flow of illegal immigrants and illegal drugs (heroin overdose deaths are a huge problem in Stark County and accross America).

Jakmides says that if Clinton was stronger on the interdiction of heroin and the like from filtering in across the U.S./Mexico border, he would have no problem whatsoever despite his being a Republican supporting her over Trump.

But, he says, in his estimate that simply is not the case.

A local powerful/popular Republican countywide, Stark County Commissioner Janet Creighton, is not running for re-election this election cycle.

She has embraced Donald Trump from her perspective of being a woman in heading the Stark County unit of Women for Trump and "trumpeted" same to the SCPR a couple of weeks ago.

Has Creighton rethought her support of Trump given the "caught on tape" incident?

Not at all, to wit:

Janet Creighton <janetweircreighton@...>  Oct 8 at 4:13 PM

To:  Martin Olson

I am disappointed in his remarks but it does not negate the actions of Hillary as Secretary of State.
  
She is not creditable.   I am voting for Trump.  

The SCPR agrees with Creighton, Clinton is not credible (ref: [for one] her private/public positions on Wall Street interests).

Being the father of three daughters two of whom are high ranking military officers (one of whom worked in the sexual assault prevention and response unit at the Pentagon) there is no they should be working for a commander in chief who sat by and allow even own his daughter (ref:  Howard Stern interview) to be described as "a piece of a**.

The SCPR has been at the forefront in Stark County government and politics advocating and pushing for women joining as equal partners with men in bringing effective, efficient, honest, transparent, accountable government to Stark County government irrespective of the political party identity.

The Report has a high regard for a few of Stark County's Republicans who hold and are running for Stark County political office.

But the Trump "fusillade on women" (going back at least to 1990 up to the present) lack of articulated and meaningful response on the part of too many Stark County Republican officials/candidates and should be taken by voters as their being too willing to abide a hostile gender specific model of leadership in service of political party interests.

And the same applies to local "organized" Democrats in relation to Bill Clinton when they minimize or are dismissive of his outrageous historical relationship with women as being mere objects.

Yesterday's blog included Family Court judge candidate David Nist's failure to meet the Trump offense head-on and Saturday's  49th Ohio District candidate Dan McMasters non-response.

A family court judge candidate cannot roundly condemn Donald Trump by name?

Wow!

Finally, still no word from Republican Stark County treasurer Alex Zumbar.

Hmm?