Just a day after the first Democrat entered the race, a second Republican announced he’ll run for Secretary of State. That potentially sets up a tough primary between two established lawmakers.
Republican Sen. Frank LaRose of the Akron area had been expected to join the race for weeks. He’s focused on elections issues in the Senate, perhaps most notably passing online voter registration.
LaRose’s candidacy could set up a challenging primary fight with Rep. Dorothy Pelanda of Marysville, who was the first in the race in March.
“Competition sharpens our edge and makes us better at what we do. So I embrace that if that comes (though) I hope to avoid it. As far as what I think about the representative, I think she’s a good woman, a dedicated public servant, I wouldn’t have anything bad to say about her,” LaRose said.
LaRose says he’d consider cutting back some weekend voting hours to give relief to county boards of elections. He’d also like to modernize the election database to stay up to date on voter rolls.
Democratic state Rep. Kathleen Clyde announced yesterday she's running for secretary of state. She's pushed for expanded voting hours and opportunities in the Statehouse.
