The 2015 Columbus Mayoral race between Democrats Andy Ginther and then-Franklin County Sheriff Zach Scott created divisions in the county Democratic party.
Party officials punished those who said they supported Scott over Ginther because they wanted to get big money out of local politics. And those divisions are evident in the slate of candidates who have filed to run for City Council this year. Jim Letizia reports.
Incumbent Democrats Mitch Brown, Shannon Hardin and Priscilla Tyson have filed the paperwork to run for re-election. They will be challenged by three members of a group called Yes We Can - Jasmine Ayres, Marian Harris and Will Petrik. The group last year participated in a failed takeover of the county party, and the candidates say they want to get big money out of politics. On the Republican side, the candidates are Josh Jaffe, Sarah Ries and 19-year-old Kieran Cartharn are running. Jaffe and Ries are placeholder candidates who could be replaced before the May primary. Another Republican, Whitney Smith, who ran last year for Franklin County Commissioner, is also running for Council. The county Board of Elections must now certify their petitions in order for the candidates to get on the May 2 ballot. The top six vote-getters in the nonpartisan race will move on to the general election in November.
