Cuyahoga
Politics Today
South
Euclid mayor spanked in intraparty feud
South
Euclid mayor Georgine Welo was disciplined by the County Democratic Party last
week.
The
action was taken by the Party Unity Review Committee [PURC] after Welo endorsed
a Republican who is running against incumbent South Euclid councilwoman Ruth
Gray, a fellow Democrat.
Party
officials and elected Democrats are prohibited from “actively and publicly”
supporting a non-Democratic candidate in a non-partisan race. South Euclid
council races are non-partisan.
Gray
filed a complaint on July 10 with then-party chairman Stuart Garson, after
learning that Welo had endorsed Gray’s opponent, Kenneth Atchinson in this
year’s November election. Atchinson has been a registered Republican for the
past seven years, according to election records cited in her letter.
The PURC ruled unanimously in Gray's favor last week, kicking Welo off the party’s executive committee, and rendered her ineligible
for party office or party endorsement for the next election cycle. Their action
means Welo cannot receive the party’s endorsement if she runs for reelection in
2019.
Gray’s
complaint cited other instances where members of the South Euclid Democratic
Club have backed Republicans over qualified Democratic black women. Gray also
referenced efforts to undermine South Euclid Municipal Court Judge Gayle
Williams Byers, contending, “There is a pervasive pattern and practice of
animus against African American female Democrats in South Euclid.”
The
current political turf battles in South Euclid have given rise to reports that
freshman councilman Jason Russell may toss his hat in the ring for the post of
city leader, a nongovernmental position currently held by councilman Marty
Gelfand.
Gray,
who ran against Welo for mayor in 2015 and lost, is seeking reelection to her
fourth term on city council. She is also president of the Cleveland chapter of
the National Council of Black Women, a growing presence on the local political
scene.
A call
to Mayor Welo was not returned for press time.
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