MANSFIELD — Aurelio Diaz said he didn’t want to be defined or constrained by a political party.
That’s the reason behind the 5th Ward Mansfield City Council representative’s decision, made public this week, to become a political independent, dropping his official affiliation with the local Democratic Party.
“I think it’s good for me personally and I think there’s been a big shift in the city. People don’t always want to be identified as belonging to a particular party,” said Diaz, elected in 2021 and five months into his first term.
“I lean really right on some issues and really left on other issues. And I feel like I’m pretty open about that. I get some criticism from that, but I don’t really do it for a party and especially (in) the 5th Ward, we have more non-party residents,” Diaz said.
The move weakens, but maintains, Democratic Party control of council. Among the eight voting members, there are now four Democrats, three Republicans and one independent.
If there is a tie vote that needs to be broken, council President David Falquette is a Republican.
It’s the second time in just over a year that the 5th Ward’s representative has made a change. In January 2021, former council member Jason Lawrence switched from Democrat to Republican.
Diaz, who then defeated Lawrence in the November general election, interacts with members from both local parties.
He was in attendance Tuesday night at DLX at an “election watch” event for Richland County Commissioner Cliff Mears, a Republican whom Diaz ran against for council president in 2019.
“A lot of us are hearing more of it … that bipartisanship could be a good thing,” he said. ‘I don’t really align blue, blue, blue.”
When he was campaigning in 2021, Diaz said he was told not to knock on doors if there was a Trump sign in the yard.
“I knocked on every door, because if I am elected, I have to represent them,” he said. “In the process, I’ve met a lot of great people and made great friendships.
“I feel like everyone talks about the fact we need to work together. We need to come together, but I don’t see it as much … or people would do it behind closed doors. And you should never feel punished for that,” Diaz said.
“It’s no disrespect to the local (Democratic) party. I mean, there are some people in the party who are very far left. I’m not. And so I can see them getting mad at it, but that doesn’t concern me. It’s not really for them,” Diaz said.
“I think this is obviously a personal decision, but I think it’ll resonate well with people who kind of are in the same boat and who don’t want to just be defined by their party,” said Diaz, chair of council’s streets and traffic committee.
He said the move gives him more freedom to focus on important issues, rather than worry about party affiliation.
“Being hands-on, more like case management, that’s kind of my style. I want to be in the trenches and not have to worry about am I endorsing this Republican or this Democrat.
“Even my friendships with (Republican) commissioners, I should never have to explain (that) or feel bad about it … and that’s from both sides,” Diaz said.
He said he wasn’t concerned about the impact on his decision should he seek re-election in three years, potentially having a Republican and a Democrat running against him.
“I’m not that concerned at all. I think that Republicans and Democrats know me really well. The ones who have gotten to know me, especially in the ward, they know my work ethic.
“They know I am not doing (politics) as a career. I am pretty transparent. They see that. I think that pays off.
“I don’t think it’s gonna hurt me at all. It might even inspire other people to do it, hopefully,” Diaz said.
