Retired city firefighter to seek party chairmanship
6/5/2014Retired Toledo firefighter James Martin said Wednesday that he will run for chairman of the Lucas County Democratic Party.
Mr. Martin, 58, of Toledo is a former president of the Toledo Firefighters Local 92 and ran unsuccessfully for Toledo City Council in 2011. He said his interest was sparked by the news last week that current party Chairman Ron Rothenbuhler would not seek re-election.
Toledo Councilman Steven Steel has been campaigning for months for the position, even if Mr. Rothenbuhler had chosen to run again, on a platform of boosting the party’s role in recruiting and supporting candidates, and has said he has a wide coalition of support within the party for the chairmanship.
The Lucas County Democratic Party Central Committee, which was elected on May 6, is scheduled to convene 6 p.m. Monday at the Teamsters Local 20 hall near downtown to elect a new chairman
“I do have some people that said they would support me,” Mr. Martin said. “I haven’t had a chance to talk to any central committee members. I’m putting a letter together to send to all of them.”