A Constitutional Right

"What it really boils down to is constitutional rights," said the 63 year-old Cicchinelli. "Whose place is it to say what I am? If a voter can change parties, then a candidate can do the same."
(The Repository, May 17, 2015).

Reporters Tim Botos and Allison Matas wrote an in-depth front page article for yesterday's Repository newspaper. If you haven't read it, we urge you to check it out.

It was about how long term Democratic politicians Tom Bernabei, a Democratic Stark County Commissioner, and 38 year Massillon Democratic officeholder, Frank Cicchinelli, were both struck by the same epiphany as they decided to run for mayor of their respective cities, Bernabei in Canton, and Cicchinelli in Massillon. They were no longer Democrats, they were 'Independent' and free from the yoke of the Democratic political party.

Now, the cynical among us might be thinking these gentlemen didn't really have a political epiphany. The cynical among us might believe Bernabei and Cicchinelli wanted to run for mayor while avoiding a Democratic primary they might well lose.

In Cicchinelli's case, a primary he has lost. Current mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry ousted Cicchinelli from his quarter century rule as Massillon's mayor in 2011, besting Cicchinelli in the Democratic primary by a comfortable margin.

The cynical among us might be thinking Cicchinelli didn't want a rematch with Catazaro-Perry, knowing he could never get 50% of the vote among any reasonable segment of Massillon voters, and was seeking a back door route to reclaim what he sees as rightfully and perpetually his, the office of Mayor of Massillon.

Now, avoiding the Democratic primary he would have likely lost, and heading straight to the November election, where he will be but one of four likely candidates, where 30% of the vote might be just enough to herald his extraordinary return, might have been a more tempting scheme for Massillon's 'Mayor for Life.'

But, according to Ohio's laws and rules, he must actually be an Independent to run as an Independent.

And the Stark County Board of Elections will have to rule on his new found 'Independence.'

And, according to several of our faithful readers, Cicchinelli's recent actions may have been less than 'Independent,' which may lead the cynical among us to believe he hasn't adopted a new found 'Independent' political philosophy, that this is all a ruse, and that his political philosophy is what it has always been.

Cicchinelli for Cicchinelli.