As years of federal investigations, trials and convictions for corruption in Cuyahoga County come to a close, a new county prosecutor is coming to town. Expectations are high that the winning candidate will continue the reform and take the lead in policing any future corruption.
The Five Democrats sparring for the job are : former police officer and Cuyahoga County assistant prosecutor, Stephanie Hall; defense lawyer and former North Royalton prosecutor James McDonnell; attorney and former Cleveland city law director Subodh Chandra; retired Cuyahoga County Pleas Judge Tim McGinty; and former municipal court judge and City of Cleveland Law Director, Robert Triozzi.
"It truly is an electoral campaign between qualified candidates," says David Elkins, an associate professor of political science at Cleveland State University. He says this is an historic race as there hasn't been an open contest for this office in decades.
Elkins says voters hope to make history in a different sense: turning the page on a prosecutor's office that was left out of the loop in federal investigations.
"To that extent, it likely means that there will be a desire to see change take place," says Elkins. "And they may be looking for something that underscores a true fresh start. The challenge is that candidates that are likely to be most successful, are going to come from the political party linked to this countywide corruption."
Triozzi won the Plain Dealer's endorsement and McGinty -- says Elkins -- is the "favored son" of Cuyahoga County's Democratic establishment…though the party did not endorse him.