Matthew Ahn

Even with some exciting wins on the horizon, the work is just getting started.

I hope that some of the newer faces across the county are ready to confront a machine that lets its self-preservation get in the way of good policy, collaborative politics, and most of all, winning again in Ohio.
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But we can't get there by just sitting around and hoping that they'll change. We have to demand that they do so.

Plenty about this election cycle shows the brokenness of our institutions. We cannot pretend that they are fine when they aren't.

Part of that is absolutely on those statewide candidates. But part of that is on our local politicans, and how motivated they are to build party infrastructure.

One of these days, that will actually be a priority of theirs, rather than the consolidation of their own power.

All in all, the suburbs followed tonight's national trends (moving bluer and demonstrating substantial excitement to oppose the current form of the GOP).

Cleveland itself...did not. And regardless of how exciting our statewide candidates are in Ohio, they can't win without an engaged Cleveland.

Christa Heckman unfortunately does NOT make it onto the Strongsville school board.

Betsy Bergen Shaughnessy just *barely* holds off Katie Slife Rustad to keep her Lakewood school board seat, along with Nora Katzenberger.

Todd LeVeck wins a seat on Westlake City Council (Ward 4).

Kelly Kosek is not top vote-getter, but she will remain on Strongsville City Council.

Chanell Elston beats Mark McMillian comfortably for the South Euclid Ward 1 seat.

Bobby Jordan defeats Cassandra Nelson for the Richmond Heights Council President seat.

Andy Schofield ends up narrowly behind Rob Euerle for Parma Ward 9 city council.

Democrats flip most of North Royalton City Council, although the race between Edward Cyngier and Michael Wos is currently *tied*.

Keegan Radeff flips the North Olmsted Director of Finance seat.

Rebecca Maurer falls short in her bid to remain on Council in Ward 5.

Mary K. Brown is defeated in her reelection bid for Berea Ward 2 council.

Paul Koomar barely, barely ekes by Kathryn Kerber to hold his mayoral seat in Bay Village.

Tom Kelly obliterated Brian Hagan in the Rocky River municipal court race. Mary Ellen Hemann will be clerk of court, winning by a similar margin.

Brett Horton has held off three other candidates to win a seat on the Cleveland Municipal Court.

Khalilah Lawson has defeated TJ Dow for a seat on the Cleveland Municipal Court, despite Dow being endorsed by the county party.

We are fully in (aside from late-arriving mail and provisionals).

Cheryl Wiltshire is your new Cleveland housing court judge.

I was a little forward earlier in the evening, and I spoke a little too early about the Lakewood school board. The challengers have been gaining, and currently Katie Slife Rustad is five(!) votes ahead of Betsy Bergen Shaughnessy.

We probably have a ton of votes yet to come in in these races.

By that same token, Craig Cobb, Tony Cuda, Jessica Cohen, and Joe DeWitt-Foy are elected (and in some cases, re-elected) to Cleveland Heights City Council.

Similarly, I believe that despite the 27/33, these are final numbers that match turnout. Jim Petras will be the next mayor of Cleveland Heights.

Ward 10 has votes outstanding, but Mike Polensek has already crossed the 50% threshold of all votes cast and will be heading back to council.

Ward 9 has plenty of votes outstanding, but I think making up the gap is nearly mathematically impossible for Alana. Kevin Conwell will be heading back to council.

Ward 8 doesn't have enough outstanding votes to close the gap. Stephanie Howse-Jones will be heading back to council.

Ward 5 still has outstanding votes. So does Ward 7, but not enough to close the gap. Austin Davis will be heading to council.

I believe Ward 4 is final or close to it (despite the 10/17). Kris Harsh is heading back to council.

I believe Ward 3 is final or close to it. Deborah Gray is heading back to council.

I believe Ward 1 is final (ignore the 0/19). Joe Jones is heading back to council.

Curious if he's motivated to vote for Blaine for council president after all of the back-and-forth (that to be clear, Joe was the source of).