SCPR 2018 GOVERNOR SERIES: DEWINE IN NORTH CANTON AT STOLLE MACHINERY—PART 2

POST-EVENT VIDEO INTERVIEWS

CANDIDATE DEWINE

FRAN DEWINE

STARK CO CHAIR - ALEX ZUMBAR

BRO. DAVE LOMBARDI

&

MORE

LINK TO PART 1 OF DEWINE COVERAGE

Unlike Democrat Connie Pillich's event last Thursday at the Stark County Democratic Headquarters (Oakwood Square in Plain Township), Stark County's leading Republicans were out in force on Monday as leading Republican candidate Mike DeWine was in North Canton on a campaign tour of the local area (including Akron) promoting his candidacy for the Republican nomination for governor that will be decided on May 8, 2018.

Getting around the campaigns (Republican and Democratic) as The Stark County Political Report does, one can get a sense of the quality of the campaigns.

As reported on last Friday, the SCPR was unimpressed with the Pillich campaign appearance in that it was sparsely attended.  Moreover, there were NO elected Stark County Democratic officials attending the Pillich event.

Accordingly, there seems to be a world of difference between those staffing the Pillich campaign as compared to Mike DeWine's.

In attendance at DeWine's event were:

• Stark County commissioner Janet Creighton, northeast Ohio regional campaign director,
• Stark County treasurer Alex Zumbar, Stark County chair of the DeWine campaign,
• Stark County commissioner Richard Regula,
• Stark County commissioner Bill Smith,
• Jackson Township trustee Jamie Walters (also a filed candidate for Ohio House District 48)
• Paris Township trustee Reggie Stoltzfus (also a filed candidate for Ohio House District 50),
• North Canton mayor David Held,
• North Canton councilman-at-large Daryl Revoldt, and
• Former Stark County Court of Common Pleas judge and a former head of the Stark County Republican Party Charles Brown and his wife Sarah who is an Ohio Republican State Central Committee elected member for a district which includes Stark County

There may have been other Republican officials and/or party officials that do not come to mind as this blog is written.

The point of the foregoing list is to evidence the work that effective political campaigns do in furtherance of a successful campaign from an organizing standpoint.

Of course, quality organization has to do with political staffers working with elected officials (in this case Stark County Republican officials) in putting on polished campaign events.

A noteworthy factor with the Democrat gubernatorial candidate Pillich appearance in Stark County last Thursday is the complete absence of Stark County Democratic elected/upper level party officials at her event.  Moreover, the candidate herself gave the SCPR "the bum's rush" when it came to The Report posing questions—post event—to candidate Pillich.

Not real smart, don't you think?

DeWine's staffers appear to be top notch and the results showed on Monday as one hundred or better enthusiastic DeWine supporters but also including a few uncommitteds were in attendance at Stolle Machinery on Monday.

Recently, DeWine opponent for the Republican nomination Jim Renacci (currently congressman for Ohio's 16th congressional district) had an event which became a bit controversial (LINK) as reported in Brunswick, Ohio media that Bikers for Trump (also, has a Facebook page Bikers for Renacci) forcibly ejected a non-Renacci-supporting citizen attending  what was termed in the media report as a "routine" campaign stump speech.

None of that at DeWine's Stolle Machinery event.

Most of us who follow politics across the nation are aware of the bitterly contested gubernatorial race in Virginia a little over a week ago in which the Republican candidate Ed Gillespie while not bringing the divisive President Donald J. Trump in the campaign did embrace—uncharacteristic of Gillespie according to those who know him well—did embrace a Trump "misinformation" style of campaigning.

In the SCPR's post-Monday-DeWine event interview of candidate DeWine the Gillespie approach was brought up to DeWine in order to prompt DeWine to disavow such happening in Ohio in the months leading up to November, 2018 should he become—which The Report thinks is highly likely—the Republican nominee for governor.

Here is DeWine's response to that question together with his addressing issues that local school officials wherein students are experiencing depression to the point of taking their own lives (three very recently within Stark County school districts):

Though the forte of the SCPR is to name names and provide evidence based support in blogging on accountability,  accessibility, communicativeness and transparency of public officials and their offices; first and foremost those of us who probe and question need to do so in a civil manner.

Although the SCPR is for needed change in eliminating to the greatest degree possible what has been termed as being "a [politics-first & foremost] swamp" in national, state and local politics and governance; it is important to support those candidates who do not engage in fear mongering, deceit, lying and self-serving framing of issue discussion.

DeWine seems to disavow the Gillespie style of campaigning in the video above.

The Report thinks DeWine has to be much more forthright and clear in making such a commitment.

Republicans, Democrats and political independents ought to put on a high priority assessing candidates for governor on whether or not a given candidate will "stay out of the 'political' mud" come the November, 2018 general election.

If DeWine has the high quality of character that North Canton mayor David Held says he does and which DeWine ascribes to, then DeWine will take up the SCPR challenge to make a clear statement on how he will conduct himself in the Republican nominating process and beyond should he become the party's nominee.

A key figure in the DeWine effort is Mike's wife Fran.

The SCPR interviewED her for a few minutes on Monday, to wit:



The SCPR was surprised to see Brother Dave Lombardi of the Trinity Gospel Temple (some 53 years in ministry in Canton/Stark County) and chatted with him a few minutes following DeWine's remarks:



Wife Mary Olson is first cousin of Minister of Christian Education Arva Stump at the Trinity Gospel Temple.  Another personal connection is the fact that Lombardi attended L.I.F.E Bible College with my brother in law.

One thing that every candidate ought to do when appearing at a facility like Stolle Machinery is to mingle with the workers.  DeWine did not miss a beat in doing so.

The SCPR did catch up with one Stolle Machinery employee for his take on the day's event, to wit:



The Report also caught up with a Stolle Machinery executive level official, to wit:



Last and certainly not least is Stark County treasurer and Stark County chair of the DeWine for Governor campaign is Alex Zumbar and his take on the DeWine appearance in Stark County: