In 2010, Tom Williams became only the second Republican to be elected commissioner in Lorain County since the ’50s.
In the last 4 years, he has brought balance to the board of commissioners in place of the usual single party control. Tom has acted as a fiscal watchdog for Lorain County taxpayers by opposing excessive spending by Democrat Commissioners Ted Kalo and Lori Kokosky, like we highlighted here two years ago. He has also successfully fought off an increase in Lorain County’s sales tax. Williams has also worked hand in hand with people from both parties, including Lorain County’s unions.
Tom is now being challenged by State Rep. Matt Lundy, who needs a job since he is term limited in the Ohio House. We’ve highlighted Lundy’s dishonesty with voters before.
First, he promised Lorain County concealed carry holders that he would support a restaurant carry bill. Based on that promise, he received high marks from the Buckeye Firearms Association and the NRA. But once reelected, he gave them the finger and attempted to kill the bill with poison pill amendments. BFA publicly called him out.
Then, earlier this year he lambasted Republicans for getting rid of “golden week”, even though in 2009 he voted to reduce early voting to 28 days.
Lundy continues to deceive voters by saying that he “will oppose tax breaks to companies that send jobs overseas”. A county commissioner has no influence over federal tax policy. But that doesn’t stop Lundy from printing the promise all over his campaign literature, a clear attempt to fool low information voters.
Based on Tom Williams record of working hard for all of Lorain County, he has earned the endorsement of two members of the Lorain County Democratic Party. From the Chronicle-Telegram:
ELYRIA — Two union leaders who serve on the Lorain County Democratic Party’s Executive Committee have endorsed county Commissioner Tom Williams, a Republican, in his re-election bid.
Williams announced the endorsements of Jim Slone, who serves as president of the United Auto Workers’ Lorain County CAP Council, and Harry Williamson Jr., president of the county’s branch of the AFL-CIO, in a news release Monday, the day before early voting began.
Both Slone and Williamson said they were speaking only for themselves and not as representatives for their labor organizations. Slone said his organization is remaining neutral in the race, while Williamson said the AFL-CIO has endorsed Williams’ challenger, state Rep. Matt Lundy, D-Elyria. The Communications Workers of America Local 4370, which Williamson also leads, has endorsed Williams.
Williamson said although he’s been a lifelong Democrat, he feels Williams is the best candidate for the job, even if he is a Republican.
“We need to start looking at individuals and not parties,” he said.Slone, who was a Democratic candidate for Congress two years ago, said he believes that Williams has been a friend to unions and working people in the county during his first four-year term.
Now, of course, the Lorain County Democrats are bringing out the knives against these two.
Chairman Tony Giardini (remember him?) said “he will take steps to prevent both men from remaining on the committee when their terms are up and will also seek to find a candidate to challenge Slone, who is a Democratic precinct committeeman from Elyria.”
And Executive Director Cory Shawver attacked the two men on Facebook, saying “Mr Slone and Mr Williamson are not Democrats, and are not representing the wishes of their organizations. They are rogue power hungry maniacs and they will be dealt with accordingly and will no longer be serving on the executive committee very shortly.”
These two brave Democrats know who the better candidate for their county is, because they’ve seen the records. Now they’ve got their party leaders calling them names in public. It’s a sad situation.
You can support Tom Williams via his website here.
