Chris Ronayne

Cuyahoga County residents will vote for a new County Executive next month. Republican Lee Weingart is facing off against Democrat Chris Ronayne. Ideastream is profiling both candidates ahead of the election, and recently caught up with Ronayne on the campaign trail.

Democratic candidate Chris Ronayne and Republican hopeful Lee Weingart met at the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel at noon, answering questions from county residents in a conversation moderated by Ideastream Public Media.

Tariq K. Shabazz has run twice for Congress. Now, he’s competing in the Democratic primary for Cuyahoga County executive. Shabazz is running on a platform of criminal justice reform, cybersecurity and aid to those in economic need.

Two candidates for Cuyahoga County executive are each beginning their election year with more than $400,000 on hand in what will likely become a million-dollar race to lead county government.

Shontel Brown will give up her chairmanship of the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party at the end of her term this year, the Congresswoman announced at a Wednesday night party meeting.

More than 20 years ago, when Cuyahoga County Commissioner Jane Campbell was running for mayor of Cleveland, she hired a 32-year-old county planner and executive assistant named Chris Ronayne to manage her campaign.

The second-term suburban mayor told Ideastream Public Media on Tuesday that she is suspending her campaign. According to a news release, Blackwell will instead focus on serving out the remaining two years in her term.

The county executive may not carry the history or gravitas of the Cleveland mayor, but the county exec holds plenty of power. The county government runs the jail, owns a Downtown hotel, provides a constellation of social services and manages a $1.5 billion annual budget.

New coronavirus cases hit an eight-month high in Ohio on Tuesday with nearly 6,000 positive tests; Gov. Mike DeWine has ordered the Ohio Department of Education to investigate a high school that claims to be based in Columbus but has no address listed on its website; Ohio Supreme Court Justice Pat DeWine says he's dropping out of the race for chief justice of the court; and more stories.