Ohio Sen 27th: Hanna (D) Wins Key Endorsements

University instructor and activist Judy Hanna (D-Akron) has won endorsements from both the Akron Beacon Journal and the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Both papers praised her primary opponent, Kevin Griffith (D-Cuyahoge Falls) for his dedication and conviction, but selected Hanna for her proven knowledge of Ohio issues. The Beacon Journal wrote:

"Her main public involvement has been through work for Common Cause on election reform and for Friends of the Crooked River and the Sierra Club on environmental issues. She is a former political chair of the Ohio Chapter of the Sierra Club.
In these endeavors, she has shown a practical, research-oriented bent that would serve her well in the legislature. On election reform, where some activists saw conspiracies to suppress the vote, Hanna's observations led her to embrace ideas such as better training for booth workers and careful record-keeping when technicians service electronic voting machines. In the legislature, she would push for the development of new technologies that would reduce pollution and save energy, not just to help the environment but to generate jobs. Hanna would also be a strong advocate for higher education."

The Plain Dealer offered sounded a similar note:

"Hanna has a sound grasp on quality-of-life issues and understands the state's desperate need to focus on making higher edu cation more afforda ble for Ohioans. ... Hanna's better understanding of the many important issues facing Ohio earns her our endorsement in the May 2 Democratic primary."

The winner will face incumbent State Sen. Kevin Coughlin (R-Cuyahoga Falls) in the general election, a race that I looked at here