Friday, December 2, 2011

HAGAN (OHIO HOUSE - THE 50TH) TO HAVE AN OPPONENT NEXT NOVEMBER?



The SCPR has learned that the Stark Democrats have come up with a candidate to run against Republican Party appointee Christina Hagan (Republican - Marlboro) for the right to represent Ohio's 50th House District.

The Democrat is Sue Ryan who was elected Alliance City Council on November 8th. She also was elected in 2007 and 2005.


Until the 50th was reconfigured by the Ohio General Assembly this past September, Ryan would not have been Ms. Hagan's opponent.  Where Ryan lives is currently in the 61st Ohio House District represented by Democrat Mark Oakey.

But with the every ten year constitutionally required redistricting that occurred this year, Alliance was brought within the parameters of the 50th.



This is probably a good thing for the Democrats.  Alliance has a history of being a swing city in the sense that the "Carnation City" can and does swing back and forth between Republicans and Democrats.

While Christina Hagan has familiarity with Alliance residents as being the Carnations Days queen in 2007, Ryan has been elected three times at-large (in other words:  citywide) by Alliance voters to Alliance City Council.

If Ryan plays her political cards correctly (Hagan voted for the anti-collective bargaining bill [SB 5/Issue 2] and voted to split Alliance off into a congressional district adjoined to primarily Mahoning County political interests [the 13th likely to be represented by Democrat Tim Ryan]), she could be an upset winner over Hagan next November.

Upset winner?

Despite her being a novice politician and representative, Christina Hagan has to be the odds on favorite to win.  Readers can be sure that the Ohio Republican Party will puts hundreds of thousands of dollars into Hagan's race to keep her in place.  Moreover, the district has been gerrymandered for years to favor a Republican candidate.

This race should be the most interesting in all of Stark County for Ohio House seats.

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