MANSFIELD — David Morgenstern hopes the seventh try is the charm.
Cliff Mears hopes to continue a string of political success that has carried him from Mansfield City Council to the Richland County Board of Commissioners.
Voters will decided between the two Tuesday in the primary election as the two men vie for the Republican Party’s nomination for the county commission seat to which Mears was appointed in January 2021.
It’s the only county-wide contested race on either party’s primary ballot. No Democrat filed for the seat so the GOP winner is the odd’s on favorite in November.
It’s a clear choice between the outspoken party outsider and critic (Morgenstern) and the party insider and favorite (Mears).
A Lexington resident and businessman, the 59-year-old Morgenstern is making his seventh straight run for a county commission post, a job he has unsuccessfully sought every two years since 2010.
The 68-year-old Mears, who lives in Mansfield, is trying to retain the seat to which he was appointed when former Commissioner Marilyn John was selected to state legislature.
The decision of the local GOP Central Committee to select Mears from a 10-candidate field is just one of the issues Morgenstern has with his party leadership.
“There was 10 people who applied for that job and (Mears) was already in their pocket,” Morgenstern said. “He walked across the street from city council when there was (nine) more qualified people than him. They should have gave that position to the guy that ran (in 2018).
“That would have been logical. But when you deal with the Republican Party … you know they never used to endorse people in the primary … then all of a sudden they are endorsing,” Morgenstern said.
Mears, who has never been challenged in a party primary, was indeed endorsed by the local GOP and has gained radio endorsements from John and state Sen. Mark Romanchuk, a Republican from Ontario.
The former Mansfield City Council president and At-large councilman said it’s a proven track record of public and private sector success that has earned him support of local Republican leaders.
“I think I have the tools to do the job. I had close to 40 years in the private sector and I’ve worked with some world-class people and organizations. I really am the luckiest guy. I have had great opportunities,” said Mears, who came to Mansfield in 1981 to work at Westinghouse.
During his career, Mears worked in a variety of capacities, many of them involving finance and data, for R.R. Donnelley & Sons in Willard, Ideal-Southeast Technologies/General Motors in Mansfield and Skybox Packaging, LLC, in Mansfield.
“Those experiences helped me (in public service),” said Mears. “It has helped me to communicate ideas and thoughts. I have held elective office. I know how important it is to listen to the voters, listen to what they want and give it to them — to the extent resources will allow.”
He points to the board of commissioners’ successes in the last several years, claiming the group has been “good stewards of taxpayer dollars,” earning the county its highest ever financial rating earlier this year.
Mears also pointed to the fact commissioners kept the county building open “to do the public’s business” throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s the peoples’ building,” he said. “We took safety precautions, but we never comprised getting the work done.”
Mears also pointed to recent capital projects such as the new cell tower in Lucas, the 9-1-1 communications center and a planned fourth courtroom in the county administration building.
Morgenstern, who operated a large Columbus chiropractic medical facility with his brother for years and now owns and operates a car service back in town, said the current board of commissioners (all Republicans) are wasting taxpayer money.
“The commissioners are inept. They make $80,000 a year for six hours a week. And then they hired a county administrator who was working in the civil division of the county prosecutor’s office (who) has no idea about public government. That’s a $90,000 waste of money,” Morgenstern said.
He said party leaders don’t listen to average Republicans.
“They’re very incompetent. They conveniently have (monthly party) luncheons at noon, so the average taxpayer can’t go. It would be nice if the average Republican could go at 5:30 or 6 in the evening, not just a select few.
“Because when you go right now to those noon meetings, it’s nothing but politicians,” Morgenstern said.
The veteran candidate has said he would add additional staffing to the Richland County Sheriff’s Office to improve safety in the county and would also lean on his “nationwide business contacts” to entice more business into the community.
The Lexington High School graduate, drawn to politics when former Common Pleas Court Judge James Henson visited his 10th grade class, has spent almost $15,000 of his own money in the current campaign.
“Is that unusual?” he asked with a laugh.
“What’s sad is there should be 10 people on the ballot in the primary. Nobody wants to get involved,” he said, pointing out his parents came to the United States from Europe, fleeing communist rule.
“Growing up, we realized how fragile what we have in America really is. People take it for granted until they lose it. So if I can better that in any small way, I will,” Morgenstern said.
If he loses on Tuesday, will he run again in two years?
“I will always try,” Morgenstern said. “I am not going to walk away because I know I would be a great asset for our county. I will be back (if I lose) and I will spend more money.”
