While Democratic primaries are a good time for campaigns to build an operation for the fall, and competitive races provide a chance for stronger candidates to emerge from a field, there are occasionally situations where someone will decide to play games with the process to give themselves an advantage.

In the races for Common Pleas Court, three candidates who are NOT ENDORSED by the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party, have joined together to mail a piece that strongly suggests that they are. 

In their joint mailing, the candidates, Mollie Ann Murphy, Nancy Magaret Russo and Fallon Kilbane McNally, encourage voters to “Support Your Endorsed Candidates,” followed by a checklist of big, bold fields stating: “Endorsed, Experienced, and Democrat.” The fact is NONE of them is endorsed by the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party—and, by electing one of them, Nancy Margaret Russo, Democrats essentially guarantee a Republican will replace a Democrat on the county bench.

Judge Nancy Margaret Russo is currently serving on the Court of Common Pleas in a term that expires in 2027. When her term ends four years from now, because of Ohio law, she will be beyond the state’s age limit for judicial candidates. So, rather than be forced to retire, and in an attempt to add two more years to what will already be 20 years on the bench, Russo has chosen to pivot to an open seat that would stretch her time even longer. All of which is great for Russo—but horrible for the court. Her election would result in her current seat being vacated and being filled by Republican Governor Mike DeWine. A net gain for the Ohio GOP.

In her race, there is an ENDORSED CANDIDATE: CARL MAZZONE. At both the Cuyahoga County Democratic City Leaders meeting and the Democratic Party Executive Committee meeting, Carl Mazzone was overwhelmingly endorsed.

It should also be noted that Carl Mazzone has been a very regular attendee of the meetings of the Chagrin Gateway Democratic Club dating back to last summer. He’s done his part to meet our members, heard our concerns and expressed his vision for the court.

In the race for Common Pleas between Fallon Marie Radigan, Ray Tarasuck and Mollie Ann Murphy, there is NO ENDORSEMENT by the county party. However, Radigan and Tarasuck have attended almost every meeting of our club since last summer. We’ve still yet to meet Mollie Ann Murphy. She has not attended a single one of the club meetings since they began to continue in person in 2021.

Another no-show at club meetings and events has been Fallon Kilbane McNally, who is seeking a seat on the Common Pleas bench in a primary against the ENDORSED DEMOCRAT: KIRA KRIVOSH. Krivosh and the third candidate in the race, Jennifer McTernan, have been actively attending our club meetings and events for almost a year and have worked hard to meet voters in our area. Our county party executive committee members were split on the two, but none of them supported Kilbane McNally.