Primary Elections - Low Hanging Fruit - Democrats

I have been looking at both the Democratic and Republican Ballots to see how everything will flesh out on May 3rd.

Speaking from experience all the candidates will know whether or not a mailing they had planned will be reaching the voters in time, but they also will know that they won't have enough time to respond to the oppositions material.
All they can do at this point is make sure materials continue to get distributed and phone calls made and respond to emails.

So lets take a look at some of the easy races:

Governor - Democrats

This is a no brainer, my 3 year old niece can pick this race - Its Strickland/Fisher
The question will be can Lakewood's own Brian Flannery garner more than 5% of the vote, not likely, he can't fund his campaign to 5% of the voters.
This race was over once Strickland showed up.
Strickland could create problems in November with Republicans because he might be able to swing the Moderate Republicans his way, especially if Petro wins the GOP Primary.

The other low hanging item for the State wide Democrats is the US Senate seat Mr. Connie Schultz should win handily to face Mike DeWine in November.

For the State House it will be Dale Miller and Mike Skindell for Lakewood

For the Judges:

Supreme Court - Peter Sikora - it will be close early, but he will spread the field state wide
the other SC race I just don't have a sense of either candidate because they just don't stand out politically or legal mind wise, the voters will go name recognition which should give Mr. O'Neill the nod

Court of Appeals:
Should be Pat Talty from start to finish on Primary night. Those on the West Side of Cleveland will give their boy Michael Dolan a boost, but I don't see the east side giving him much love.

Court of Common Pleas:
These races are decided on name only, unfortunately for the legal community, they are stuck with those judges who have a "name" but don't necessarily have the legal mind to be on the bench.

Here are couple that deserve to be back in November:

John P. O'Donnell - The only problem with him is that there is another O'Donnell running in another Common Pleas race. That could play a factor in both races. But, as I view the ballot J.P. O'Donnell race will be first to come up on the screen. Kilbane Koch would be my close second choice for this seat. This is the race that my former at-Large competitor Dan Shields is running. Unfortunately for him again a numbers game will do him in. He is a class guy and campaigner, keep trying Dan!

The other race that I can pick with ease is Shirley Strickland Saffold, she is tough but fair judge and handles her docket pretty efficiently.

Oh Yeah! The race involving the State Central committee Women 23rd District - Mary Rose Okar. I won't even comment on the Men's side of this race -- too many heavy hitters - Fitzgerald and Skindell from Lakewood, Mottl and DiPiero from Parma -- the crystal ball is very cloudy on this one.

For the County Central Committee - Lynn Farris

Tomorrow - Low Hanging Fruit Republicans and the Toss up Races