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Democratic Party pumps money into local races
(by Joseph Koziol Jr. - December 23, 2009)
Democratic Party pumps money into local races
By JOSEPH KOZIOL JR.
The Geauga County Democratic Party is taking a more active role in putting its candidates into offices in Geauga County.
Janet Carson, chairwoman of the local Democratic Party, said she has changed the approach the party has taken when it comes to local races. The new approach involves injecting party money into local races and offering party assistance to all Democratic candidates.
The assistance was evident in campaign-finance reports recently filed at the Geauga County Board of Elections.
Candidates such as Claridon Trustee Mary Briggs, Chardon Councilman Jefferey Campbell Jr. and candidate Dennis Pavella, Munson trustee candidate Mike Dorka and former Newbury Trustee Glen Quigley all received assistance from the party in their races.
Contributions ranged from $500 to $1,500. There also was assistance in providing mailings for candidates.
Mrs. Carson said a candidates committee operates year round and reviews all requests for financial support, which must be made in writing. This year, she said, the party helped about seven or eight candidates. She said a screening committee reviews each request and determines how much is given and to whom. "It's not just if we like you," she said.
Mrs. Carson said the party's involvement is paying off. Although the party lost two races with Ms. Briggs and Mr. Campbell losing their seats, Mrs. Carson said, there was a net gain of two Democrats in the last election. She said four new Democrats will be seated as public officials by the start of the year.
She said she believes the party actually spent more in the previous election than it did this time.
Prior to her taking charge of the local party, she said, there had been a "gentleman's agreement" between the two local parties that neither would inject money into local races. Their sole role would be to promote state and national candidates.
But Mrs. Carson said that works to the advantage of the party in power. With Republican candidates holding 70 percent of the offices in the county, the agreement worked to keep the Republican stronghold in Geauga County, she said.
She said, while the Republican Party did not make contributions from the organization, individuals involved in the party made contributions.
But, Mrs. Carson said, she had a different take on the matter. "I believe the purpose of the local party is to elect local candidates," she said.
She said the Democratic Party has been outpacing its Republican counterpart for the past two or three years in fund raising. She said she believes the Democrats have surpassed Republicans in fund raising by a 2-to-1 ratio.
The Democrats, Mrs. Carson said, also have been more aggressive in establishing a presence in the county. She said Democrats have had a permanent headquarters for the past four years, while the Republicans have yet to establish one. In addition, she said, the Democrats were the first to create a Web site.
Mrs. Carson said the party's involvement is designed to make sure voters get a choice when they go to the polls, rather than allow one party to dominate the scene.
"I think now they are in a race," she said.
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