The Winner is…Bob Paduchik
Written by: Cuyahoga Lobbyist
March 9, 2021
Looking back two weeks ago the Ohio Republican Party chose a new chairman. He replacing she who was/is Jane Timken. Jane is now setting her sights on becoming the next US Senator from Ohio, replacing Rob Portman who is retiring. She already has two formidable Republican opponents who will battle it out in the 2022 Primary election. Mike Gibbons and Josh Mandel. Whoever ultimately wins must maintain the zeal for a Party of blue-collar, red blooded, grassroots patriots which personified so much of the Trump Republican party. In other words, to hell with any RINO’s! To hell with the establishment, long live Trump!
But…back to the new Ohio Republican Party Chairman. Congratulations to Mr. Robert Paduchik although it was anything but a surprise. His only opponent (and at least there was an opponent) John Becker a Statehouse member from Cincinnati for 8 years and a former State Central Committeeman for 8 years was not nearly as qualified but again thanks to John for stepping forward!
So the GOP (Grand Old Party) couldn’t have made the outcome anymore predictable if they had tried. And boy did they try. The State Central Committee vote took place with 2/3 of the members watching it at home on their computer screen (via zoom) and 1/3 showing up in person in Columbus. Why so few showed up in person is a mystery, but shame on the majority of SCC members who chose to sit at home and be a spectator.
Surprisingly no questions were asked of the two candidates! It was not on the written agenda! I’ve never witnessed that before? The one time where you have the full embodiment of all committee members participating and the written agenda would not allow for questioning of the candidates? The fix is on.
Bob Paduchik and John Becker each spoke for about 8 minutes in person at the podium and then the committee voted. While the paper ballots are being distributed to in-person members (and the zoom participats were getting ready to vote electronically) our Secretary of State Frank LaRose decided to speak at the podium and with the eloquence of a bull-in-a-China shop repeatedly lauded the praises of Bob Paduchik and how successful a campaign manager he was. And this is while everyone was in the process of voting. Talk about stacking the deck. This was a classless act by our Secretary of State, and the irony is his main job is for election integrity!
There were a few fireworks as some committee people wanted to go into Executive Session to be able to question Paduchik and Becker, sort of grill them privately before voting (remember the media is present) but the Legal Counsel (Parliamentarian) for the Ohio Republican party, seated at the front table would not allow it. Apparently it would be a violation of the Sunshine Laws! Which is absolutely absurd given the fact that the ORP is not a public Government organization. Someone needs to better educate the Parliamentarian! But it was obvious the ORP was not going to allow members to question Bob Paduchik and under no circumstances was there going to be an executive session.
So the voting took place…Bob won and life goes on. Bob was the better candidate but this whole process tarnishes the already corroded image of the State Party. Our Party color is red, and it shouldn’t be representative of communism.
*****
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Categories: State of Ohio