Several Republicans quit races

Male committeeman in Senate District 11 will go to voters

2/10/2012
BLADE STAFF

A Republican primary contest for Lucas County commissioner has been eliminated with the withdrawal of one candidate from the ballot for the March 6 election.

And three candidates have pulled out of the running for the state Republican Party Central Committee, leaving only one local contested race for that body.

Thomas Stamos of Toledo, a write-in candidate for the Republican nomination for commissioner, withdrew, leaving John Marshall of Sylvania Township unopposed. As a write-in, Mr. Marshall must receive at least 50 write-in votes to qualify for the ballot in November to run against Democratic incumbent Pete Gerken.

Gina-Marie Kaczala withdrew as a candidate for the female committeeman's seat in Senate District 2, leaving Diana Talmage, the incumbent, unopposed on March 6. Both live in Ottawa Hills. Kelly Mettler of Springfield Township withdrew as the female candidate for committeeman in Senate District 11, leaving Meghan Gallagher of Toledo, the incumbent and chairman of the Lucas County Republican Party's central committee, unopposed.

And Tom Morgan of Sylvania has withdrawn as a candidate for the male committeeman's seat in Senate District 2, leaving Mark Wagoner, an Ottawa Hills lawyer and father of Republican state Sen. Mark Wagoner, unopposed on March 6.

The remaining race in the Toledo area is for the male committeeman seat in Senate District 11 among Lucas County Republican Party Chairman Jon Stainbrook, incumbent committeeman Jonathan Binkley, and challenger Sean Binkley, no relation to Jonathan. All three live in Toledo.

Voters are being advised the candidates have withdrawn and votes cast for them won't be counted, said Dan DeAngelis, deputy director of the Lucas County Board of Elections.

The state central committee, which will be decided on the March 6 ballot, elects the state party chairman.