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Butler County Dems name new leader

IBEW Local 648 business manager Frank Cloud takes reins of divided party.

Frank Cloud, business manager for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 648, was named the party chairman Thursday, Nov. 19, by the party’s executive committee.

Tiffany Latta/Staff photo Frank Cloud, business manager for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 648, was named the party chairman Thursday, Nov. 19, by the party’s executive committee.

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By Tiffany Y. Latta and Josh Sweigert
Staff Writers Updated 8:58 AM Friday, November 20, 2009

LIBERTY TWP. — A new leader has taken the reins of the Butler County Democratic Party.

Frank Cloud, business manager for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 648, was named the party chairman Thursday, Nov. 19, by the party’s executive committee.

The roughly 140-member party leadership met at the IBEW union hall in Liberty Twp. and elected the new chairman in a landslide vote of 68-14 with one abstention.

“I’m very humbled,’’ Cloud said after defeating Monroe attorney Brian Harrison. “I look forward to getting the different committees set up, getting more people involved ...and getting everyone pulling in the same direction.”

Cloud, 51, of Fairfield will replace Matt Von Stein who resigned earlier this month.

Von Stein could not immediately be reached for comment, but party officials say he resigned to focus on his studies after receiving a scholarship from Xavier University. He took over party leadership last year after former chairman Ron Wardrup was arrested on drunk driving charges.

In addition to leading the party, the chairman traditionally takes a paid post on the county Board of Elections.

Far from mounting a united challenge against a county commission seat seen as vulnerable, the Butler County Democratic Party has broken out into a struggle for control of the party.

After the election, Harrison, 40, vowed to remain active within the party as he has been since 1996.

“I’ve always have been involved and always will be,’’ Harrison said. “I’m just glad so many people came out and participated.’’

Central Committee Chairman John Holcomb said the party has been divided.

“It’s the greatest degree of factionalism that I have ever seen in the Butler County Democratic Party,” he said. “I have to remain optimistic the new party chair is going to be able to bridge these divides.”

Party leaders fear factionalism is particularly detrimental this year. Races coming up next year include a county commission race where the incumbent is under an Ohio Ethics Commission investigation and the GOP appears primed for a costly primary.

Republicans control all countywide offices except for one juvenile judge, Kathleen Dobrozsi Romans of Middletown, who was re-elected in a nonpartisan race after being appointed last year by the governor.

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