I just returned from a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Montgomery County Democratic Party. About 20 people were in attendance. The committee voted to recommend Fred Strahorn to replace Tom Roberts as senator for the 5th District. Roberts recently resigned from the Ohio Senate in order to accept an appointment from Governor Strickland to the Ohio Civil Rights Commission.
Roberts’ replacement eventually will be determined by a vote of the Democratic Senate Caucus, which consists of 11 Democratic senators. The Chair of the Montgomery County Democratic Party, Mark Owens, was requested by the Caucus to submit up to three names of candidates to be considered for the replacement. Mark, in turn, called a special meeting of the Executive Committee to receive its input.
The Committee heard short presentations by both Strahorn and by Victor Harris. Both individuals are impressive individuals and both made good presentations. The Committee, predictably, strongly favored Strahorn. Eventually a motion was made and seconded that the committee recommend Strahorn.
I made the point that, because Senator Roberts has strongly recommended Strahorn, it is is a safe bet that Strahorn will get the appointment, and that recommending Vic Harris in addition to Strahorn would certainly not change that fact.
I suggested an amendment to the motion. My thought was that the Montgomery County Democratic Executive Committee should use the opportunity to recommend up to three candidates to include Vic in the recommendation and, by doing, give Vic some encouragement. Vic, I feel, has the capacity for a great political career, and more importantly, the capacity to establish a new quality of Democratic leadership. I moved that the motion be amended to not only recommend Strahorn, but also to recommend Vic Harris. My motion died for lack of a second. Wow. That lack of a second makes you feel unpopular. The will of the group was that only one person should be recommended — Strahorn.
The discussion brought out the fact that the group wanted to make certain that their message to the Democratic Senate Caucus was not diluted. The message: Fred Strahorn is are only candidate recommended by the Montgomery County Democratic Party.
I was surprised that the discussion revealed lingering anger at Vic for defying the Party last year and seeking to become the Democratic Party’s candidate for the 40th Ohio House District. ( For some history, see the article I wrote one year ago: Victor Harris: Surprised That Local Democratic Party Wanted To Suppress Primary Competition.)
The Party endorsed and supported Roland Winburn in the primary last year. The fact that Vic ran against this endorsed candidate, evidently, is still point of irritation to some members of the Executive Committee. Vic organized a great campaign, but was not able to overcome the force of the party establishment that printed handbills showing that Roland was the officially endorsed candidate of the Montgomery County Democratic Party. It is no wonder that uninformed 40th District Democrats listened to their Party’s endorsement. Roland won by 56% to 44%.
I wrote an article last week that cited a DDN editorial criticizing the anti-democratic process whereby only a handful of politicians will decide who should replace Roberts — “Ohio Senate rises above democracy.” Today’s action by Montgomery County Democrats, that constricts recommendation to the Ohio Democratic Senate Caucus to just one choice, makes the process criticized by the DDN become even more closed, even more anti-democratic.
