By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com

Republican voters had a chance to meet candidates running for office for the Grand Old Party in the March Primary Election Monday night.

Hosted by the Crawford County Republican Women’s Club and held at the Bucyrus High School’s Little Theater, 19 Republican candidates running for government seats at the federal, state, and county levels introduced themselves.

Meet the Candidates Night coordinator Joyce Schifer explained the purpose for the event.

“The purpose is to inform the public so that they are better informed when they go to the polls,” Schifer said. “We want them to know who they are voting for and what that person’s views are so that they can make an informed decision.”

The event went in order for candidates at the federal, state and then county level. Each candidate was given a three minutes to speak. Candidates with opposition in the primary drew numbers to coincide with a question. The candidates were then given a chance to give their opinion on the question.

For those who couldn’t attend a video recording of the event will be aired at http://crawfordcountygop.com/.

Republican candidates on the March ballot, not including the Presidential Primary, are: U.S. Senator, Don Elijah Eckhart and Rob Portman; U.S Representative to Congress, Jim Jordan; Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court, Maureen O’Connor; Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court (01.01.17), Pat Fischer and Colleen Mary O’Toole; Justice of the Supreme Court (01.02.17), Pat DeWine; Judge of the Court of Appeals (02.09.17), Amy Ikerd, Richard Palau, and William Zimmerman; Judge of the Court of Appeals (02.11.17), Stephen Shaw; State Central Committee (Man), Charles Knight and John Matthews; State Central Committee (Woman), Lisa Cooper and Jude Foulk; State Senator (26th District), Dave Burke; State Representative (87th District), Wes Goodman, Steve Reinhard, and Tom Whiston; County Commissioner (01.02.17), Terry Gribble, Mo Ressallat, and Michael Schiefer; County Commissioner (01.03.17), Jeff Sheerer and Doug Weisenauer; Prosecuting Attorney, Matthew Crall and Robert Ratliff; County Recorder, Julie Wells; County Treasurer, Cynthia Edwards; County Engineer, Mark Baker; Coroner, Christopher Johnson.