The Eye of Sauron snarls on my left shoulder.

“How can Peter Ujvagi be hired for Lucas County Administrator without anyone else being interviewed? Why isn’t the Democratic Caucus ensuring the process for selection in the General Assembly is followed? Don’t they realize this type of arrogance contributes to voter apathy in the party and outrage from independents?”

On my right shoulder, Glinda the Witch of the North coos, “Be a good Democrat. Peter has been a loyal Democrat for years and deserves this job. He was Michael Beazley’s mentor and he has years of political experience. Remember, the Republicans did quite a bit of musical chairs after Paul Gillmor died. We knew Teresa Fedor was going to go back to District 47. And Edna Brown trying to gain an advantage against Joe McNamara? Don’t go there … ”

I have to go there. I have never bought the excuse that one party doing something makes it OK for the other; there is supposed to be a process. Maybe Ujvagi is the best candidate, but since there were no other candidates, we’ll never really know. No matter the intention, the avoidable accusation of political cronyism is legitimate.

Fedor’s move is not a shock; there is no one at this point who has said they are going to run against her. I realize the term limit purists take issue with her move to the House, then the Senate and now the House, but despite term limits being voter approved in 1992, voters have continually allowed House to Senate and Senate to House and back again.

Randy Gardner is in his 10th term as the House Representative for District 6. He was in the Ohio House from 1985 to 2000 then the Ohio Senate from 2001 to 2008. Now back in the House, he’s up for re-election.

When I mentioned to a fellow Democrat that after being House District 48 Representative since 2001, Brown may finally see her first piece of legislation pass into law this year, I was told, “Remember, Republicans held a majority in the House almost all of that time.” My response? “The Senate is Republican controlled.”

If it is a Democrat who wins this Ohio Senate seat in November, for anything to be accomplished it will take working with Republicans. There is no other way.

It doesn’t matter which candidate I prefer, Brown or McNamara. Those pulling a Democratic ballot will not be able to decide that until May. What happens until then may be out of our hands, but we should be watching.

On the same day Lucas County Commissioners Pete Gerken, Tina Skeldon Wozniak and Ben Konop voted to give Ujvagi the job, it was stated that pressure started from the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus to appoint Brown to Fedor’s seat, before Fedor even sent out her announcement that she was seeking to be Ujvagi’s replacement.

There is supposed to be a process. Applications are supposed to be taken, screening is supposed to happen, a recommendation and then the Senate Democratic Caucus votes. This process was followed in March of 2009 when Dayton-area Senator Tom Roberts resigned and Fred Strahorn was appointed to replace him.

There are more voters in this area who are non-party affiliated than there are members of the Democratic Party. So while Republicans and Democrats may select who will represent each party in November, those non-affiliated voters often decide the outcome.

Playing political games without even the pretense of a transparent and fair process in the Ujvagi hiring and the domino effect of appointments is a risky proposition in a good year for a political party.

While the party faithful may listen to their own personal Glindas or Saurons, the response from the rest of the voters is the voice they should fear.

Toledo Free Press contributor Lisa Renee Ward operates the political blog Glass City Jungle.

This entry was posted on Friday, February 5th, 2010 at 12:00 am and is filed under Opinion, Shredding the Curtain.
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