Lorain County GOP announces slate of candidates in 2022 election

SHEFFIELD TWP. — A number of familiar names and several newcomers were among those put forward by Lorain County Republicans on Monday as the party announced its candidates running for public office in 2022. Introduced during a news conference at its headquarters on North Ridge Road in Sheffield Township on Monday were Martin Gallagher and Sarah McGervey, two newcomers running to represent the proposed 51st Ohio House District. The district currently is the 56th District, represented by State Rep. Joe Miller, D-Amherst. Joining them was businessman Rodger Roeser, who announced his candidacy for Lorain County auditor, as well as incumbent State Rep. Dick Stein, R-Norwalk, and his wife, Patty Stein, seeking reelection to the state Republican Central Committee. McGervey, a middle school science and religion teacher in the Diocese of Cleveland, said she is looking forward to representing Amherst, Avon Lake, Lorain, Sheffield and Sheffield Lake if elected. McGervey is eager to meet her potential constituents, hear their concerns "and bring those to the Statehouse one day," she said. Gallagher, of Avon Lake, owns Suntan Supply in Avon, a national wholesaler of suntan products and commercial cabinetry business. The married father of four is a past president of the Avon Lake Athletic Boosters and was named Avon Lake Citizen of the Year in 2021. Though a first-time political candidate, Gallagher has lobbied against taxes on the tanning industry and other excise taxes in Columbus and Washington D.C., he said. Roeser said he is looking to "bring a little bit more bold leadership and fresh ideas to the auditor's department" along with "good, old-fashioned business commonsense." The owner of The Eisen Agency, a marketing, advertising and public relations firm in Sheffield, he said he believes "there are always ways things can be done better" and promised to be "extraordinarily transparent" as an auditor. The proposed 53rd District is considered a "safe" one for Dick Stein's reelection. If he is reelected, it would be his fourth and final two-year term in the post due to term limits. Under the redistricting map currently in the courts for review, Stein would lose Avon and half of North Ridgeville, but pick up the city of Vermilion, Brownhelm, Henrietta and Camden townships on the Erie County border and most of the southern half of Lorain County all the way east to Columbia Township and the Cuyahoga County line. Stein also would pick up two townships and the city of Huron in Erie County, he said. "I look forward to getting over there and working with Sen. Manning to meet the folks over in that portion of our, hopefully finalized, new district soon and we look forward to a busy summer," Stein said. "We'll see what happens in the next few days if there's a primary opponent for any of us or not, but hopefully one way or the other we're looking forward to serving the folks, God-willing, that want us to come back and help them out." Also announced Monday as candidates for office in 2022 on the Republican slate but not present for Monday's event were Jeff Riddell, for Lorain County Board of Commissioners; Avon Lake Municipal Judge Darrel Bilancini, for Lorain County Common Pleas judge; and Barberton Municipal Judge Jill Flagg Lanzinger, for the Ninth District Court of Appeals. Other incumbents seeking reelection but not present Monday include: State Sen. Nathan Manning of North Ridgeville, for Ohio Senate District 13, which he has represented since 2019. State Rep. Gayle Manning of North Ridgeville, who currently represents the 55th District but is now a candidate for the 52nd District under the proposed maps. David Arredondo, Lorain County Republican Party chairman, for State Central Committee. Ninth District Court of Appeals Judges Lynne Callahan and Donna Carr. "There's a lot going on in the Republican Party right now," Patty Stein said. Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com. Follow him on Twitter @daveobrienCT.