Ohio House 60th: Hagan (D) Endorsed by Vindicator

Former State Representative and current State Senator Bob Hagan (D-Youngstown) has been endorsed by his hometown's biggest newspaper, the Youngstown Vindicator, in the Democratic primary in the 60th House District race. No Republican has filed to run in the district, which includes Youngstown, Campbell, Struthers, Lowellville, Coitsville and nine eastern Austintown precincts. Incumbent Rep. Sylvestor Patton (D-Youngstown) is term-limited.

The crowded primary has five candidates aside from Hagan: high school principal Richard A. Gozur (D-Campbell), city councilman Rufus G. Hudson (D-Youngstown), accountant Michael J. Latessa (D-Youngstown), teacher Ian Stublarec (D-Youngstown), and city councilman Daniel R. Yemma (D-Struthers).

The editors eliminated all but Gozur, Hagan and Hudson due to their inability to discuss the critical issue of education and school funding with any degree of specificity. Of the remaining three, they chose Hagan as "the candidate who best knows the players in Columbus, who knows what initiatives have been blocked in the past and by whom — in other words, one who has an institutional memory." Interestingly, the editors make a point of emphasizing their expectation that the Democrats will make gains in the General Assembly this year:

"There is a good chance that Democrats, who have been marginalized in Columbus for more than a decade, will gain some strength coming out of the November elections. With the scandals that have plagued Republicans, Ohio's status as one of the highest-taxed, lowest-growth states in the union, and an increasingly heated gubernatorial primary race, if the Democrats can't gain ground in 2006, they ought to fold up their tent. ... At a time when some of the power in Columbus might shift back to Democrats, the 60th District should want to have Hagan's insight and experience on its side."