Portage County 'icon' Janet Esposito credited with Republican comeback

Hundreds of people turned out at a reception Thursday to extend well wishes to former Portage County Auditor Janet Esposito, who stepped down recently after decades of service to her community,

More: Retirement reception to honor former Portage Auditor Janet Esposito

Esposito, a Republican who has served seven terms as Portage County Auditor, decided not to seek re-election last year. Matt Kelly, a Republican from Suffield, was elected to succeed her.

The reception took place at the Kent American Legion, where a steady line of people lined up to wish her well in her retirement.

The bipartisan event drew friends from both sides of the aisle to pay tribute to Esposito's public service.

But Esposito, who chaired the county's Republican party from 2012 to 2016 and was well known for her support of GOP candidates for many years before that, was credited with helping turn the county red. Portage County voters supported Donald Trump in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections and also have backed a slate of local GOP leaders in recent countywide contests.

Ann Womer Benjamin, a former Republican state representative who now serves as mayor of Aurora, credited Esposito for her decision to enter into politics.

A Republican comeback

Womer Benjamin said she has always kept a diary, and read an entry from 30 years ago, after a lunch with Esposito. She had been considering a run for office, and her husband had told her that a chat with Esposito was the best place to start.

She came away from that meeting describing Esposito as a "Republican heavyweight" who just might have convinced her to seek public office.

The Aurora mayor then read from a city resolution honoring Esposito for her long record of public service, which began when Esposito was elected Portage County commissioner in 1988 and continued when she was elected to her first term as county auditor in 1994.

She said Esposito also "helped rebuild the Republican party in Portage County," working along with former Portage County Commissioner Nancy Hansford, who was one of a handful of prominent Republicans in the county at that time.

That effort, Womer Benjamin said, was aided by Esposito's "down-home style that won people over regardless of party affiliation." Esposito, she said, was known for her straightforward manner, and was "never afraid to fight for wat was right on behalf of her citizens."

Republican Party Chairwoman Amanda Suffecool called Esposito an "icon in Portage County."

"For a long time, there weren't many Republicans in Portage County," Suffecool said. "Janet would advocate for the community and talked to the community. People responded to that communication."

A 'county watchdog'

Prosecutor Victor Vigluicci, a Democrat, said Esposito told him when they first met that she'd never hold his party affiliation against him because her husband, Anthony, was an Italian Democrat like Vigluicci. Over the years, he came to respect Esposito's professionalism in the auditor's office.

"The county auditor is the watchdog of the county," he said. "I as a prosecutor have had to take no action against a county government office because she and her staff have worked in an exemplary manner."

Sue Fields, a Brimfield Township trustee who was elected to office the same year Esposito was elected auditor, marveled at how she knew most of the people at the event by their first name.

"She kept me out of a lot of trouble," Fields said.

A public servant

Esposito, a life resident of Portage County, has a long record of public service in Portage County. Before taking public office, she was involved with the Portage County Randolph Fair Board for 15 years, a job she said she enjoyed because her children were involved in 4-H. In 1988, after her children were grown, she ran for Portage County commissioner and served two terms. She then ran for auditor, won, and went on to be elected to seven terms.

She was involved in the county's League of Women Voters.

Esposito's daughters, Conni and Laura, said their mother saw her role as a public servant, rather than a politician.

Lou Bertrand, Hiram's mayor and a longtime political ally of Esposito, said her devotion to public service, her integrity and her work ethic set her apart.

"She's one of the finest people we've had anywhere," he said. "You could call her any time, day or night, and she'd be there for you."

Succeeding an icon

Kelly said Esposito had been working with him for months to prepare him for stepping into her role as auditor. He said she also deserves credit for training her staff, whom he said has been a tremendous help to him as he works in the auditor's office.

"True to her character, she's said she'd be there for me any time I need help," Kelly said. "It's not lost to me that I have big shoes to fill."

Reporter Diane Smith, who first met Janet Esposito while touring the construction site of the Portage County Jail, can be reached at 330-298-1139.

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Portage County 'icon' Janet Esposito credited with Republican comeback