Ohio House 16th: Brady (D) Seeks Nomination

This afternoon I communicated by email and telephone with Jennifer Brady (D-Westlake), a housewife and political activist who is seeking to be placed on the general election ballot as a replacement for successful write-in candidate Michael O'Shea (D-Rocky River), who has withdrawn. I met Brady at a meeting of Democracy for America - Cleveland last December. She is active in the MeetUp group Westside Democrats, and was just elected precinct member of the county Democratic central committee. In a MeetUp listing that I located for Brady, she described herself as a stay-at-home mom who has been active in politics since about 1998.

Brady says that O'Shea filed to run as a write-in candidate for the purpose of preserving a place on the ballot for a replacement, and that he has always supported Brady to fill that role. She writes that getting on the ballot "is a matter for a vote of the precinct committee members," which she hopes "will take place shortly." She is "looking forward to running for office with the help of Michael O'Shea who has agreed to be my campaign manager," and notes that she also enjoys the support of "the ward leaders from all five cities [in the 16th district] who have given me their endorsements," and also Kevin Kennedy who previously ran for the office and is now the city council president of North Olmsted. Brady is optimistic about her chances in the general election:

We have a great opportunity here in the Sixteenth District. Whereas the district has historically gone Republican, there has been a great renewed interest in Democratic ward clubs and there is a new organization of newly active Dems in the Westside Meet-up. Together with these developments and an awareness among independents that one-party rule has proved disastrous for Ohio, we can move forward for an exciting campaign on the issues.

Brady says that at least one other person, a college student named Connor Patton, has come forward to seek the nomination. The eventual nominee will face Ed Herman (R-Rocky River), who ran against Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Cleveland) in 2004. The incumbent, Rep. Sally Conway Kilbane (R-Rocky River), is term-limited.