In close vote, Franklin County Democrats heed call not to endorse in prosecutor's race

After the NAACP Columbus branch, other organizations and a candidate called on the Franklin County Democratic Party not to endorse any of the three Democrats running for county prosecutor ahead of the March primary, the party executive committee narrowly voted to not endorse anyone.

Members of the Franklin County Democratic Party Executive Committee voted on each candidate by a show of hands Thursday at the Columbus Firefighters IAFF Local 67 union hall. The crowd erupted in applause when the party chairman announced none of the prosecutor candidates had enough votes for an endorsement.

Anthony Pierson, deputy chief counsel for retiring Franklin County Prosecutor Gary Tyack; Columbus City Councilmember Shayla Favor and Delaware City Attorney Natalia Harris will have to earn votes the "old-fashioned way" — as Favor put it — without anyone appearing on the party's slate card that is distributed outside polls.

After interviewing all three candidates, the screening committee for the party had recommended Pierson, who has Tyack's backing, based on his prosecutorial experience, the screening committee chair said.

Nobody mentioned at the meeting a recent complaint made to the Franklin County Board of Elections asking for an investigation into whether Pierson lives in the county based on reporting by The Dispatch. Pierson owns a house in Delaware County with his wife in addition to a Columbus condo where he transferred his voter registration last fall.

Before they voted on the candidates, each had a chance to speak. Favor echoed the NAACP Columbus branch President Nana Watson's public comments that this is a historic moment in Franklin County as three Black candidates are running for the office and Black voters are excited to engage in this race.

"Please keep your hands down all the way around so the voters can raise their hands all around town," Favor said ahead of the votes.

Pierson received 77 votes but needed 95 to reach the 60% threshold of the voting members present. Favor received zero votes from her supporters, as she asked, and Harris received two endorsement votes.

Pierson left the meeting and did not respond to a Dispatch message requesting comment.

The county Democratic Executive Committee also did not endorse anyone in the three contested Ohio House races in Franklin County where no incumbent is running. But the committee did decide to endorse in the only contested race for a Franklin County Common Pleas Court judgeship — despite a candidate's plea.

Party endorses current Ohio House member for county judge

The executive committee voted to endorse Ohio House Rep. Richard Brown, a Canal Winchester Democrat who represents District 5, for Franklin County Common Pleas Court in the only contest judge race.

His opponent, Stephanie Hanna, a staff attorney for Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey Brown, had called Thursday for no endorsement.

Hanna previously ran unsuccessfully for judge as a Republican in 2016 and 2020. In 2016, she lost to Jeffrey Brown, the Democrat judge for whom she now works.

Republican judges switching to the Democratic party has been a trend in recent years as the county increasingly favors Democrats.

"I'm asking you not to endorse either of us," Hanna said Thursday. "Let us run a fair primary."

Richard Brown received 118 votes for endorsement.

Democrats choose not to endorse in 3 Ohio House races

Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo, of Upper Arlington, told the county Democratic Executive Committee during the meeting that the screening committee for Ohio House races decided not to recommend anyone in three contested races without incumbents: Districts 5, 6 and 10.

The larger committee agreed, and no one endorsed any candidates.

In one of those races, District 6, seven Democrats have thrown their hats in the ring.

"I look forward to all of these candidates in these open primaries running good competitive races," Russo said.

The Democratic candidates running in those three Ohio House district races are as follows.

Ohio House District 5 (Richard Brown's current district): Marco Miller of Canal Winchester, Meredith Lawson-Row of Reynoldsburg, and Leo Almeida of Canal Winchester.

Ohio House District 6: Elijah Williams of Galloway, Patrick Barnacle, Christine Cockley, Adhanet Kife, Eli Bohnert, Brandon Barcus, all of Columbus; and Kawther Musa of Galloway.

Ohio House District 10: Sarah C. Pomeroy of Columbus and Mark Sigrist of Grove City.

The party voted to endorse incumbent Democrats in eight other Ohio House races, including Russo's.

Only the executive committee's vote on Ohio House District 3 sparked controversy, where Abdirizak Diini and Julie Trabold are challenging incumbent Rep. Ismail Mohamed.

Diini said it was not fair that the screening committee only screened Mohamed and called on the committee to not endorse in the race.

Michael Sexton, chairman of the Franklin County Democratic Party, said Diini never contacted the party to let them know he wanted to be screened.

Mohamed won the endorsement with 138 votes.

The party also voted Thursday to endorse incumbent Democrats in several uncontested county and state legislative races and two congressional races.

In the 15th Congressional District, which includes parts of Franklin County and Madison County, the committee voted at the screening committee's recommendation to endorse Ohio Rep. Adam Miller over Zerqa Z. Abid. They will compete in the March primary, with the winner taking on Republican incumbent Mike Carey in November.

jlaird@dispatch.com

@LairdWrites

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Franklin County Dems narrowly decide not to endorse in prosecutor race