Local forum set with Democratic secretary of state candidates

PERKINS TWP. — Local Democrats are about to get a close look at a hot political race that will be decided in May. The Erie County Democratic Party has announced a candidate forum between the two Democrats who are running for secretary of state: Dr. Bryan Hambley, a cancer doctor from the Cincinnati area, and state Rep. Allison Russo, D-Upper Arlington. The forum will take place from 6-7:30 p.m. on Thursday at the UAW 913 Union Hall, 3114 Hayes Ave. (Ohio 4), Sandusky. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. The Erie County Democratic Party is providing the candidate forum as a service to the local community, and anyone who is interested is invited to attend, said Amy Grubbe, chairwoman of the local party. Chris Gasteier will moderate. Each candidate will get to make an opening and closing statement and will be taking questions screened by volunteers. Context on the candidates Hambley, a cancer doctor who specializes in leukemia treatment, is married to a trauma surgeon and has two young children. He's traveled widely in Ohio for months seeking the secretary of state office and spoke last summer at a picnic hosted by Democratic Women of Erie County. Hambley has been running for the office for more than a year. Russo was the Ohio House minority leader, which is the leader of the Democrats, from January 2022 to June 2025. She announced her campaign for secretary of state last August. She is currently serving her fourth two-year term in the Ohio House and previously served on the Ohio Redistricting Commission. The secretary of state is Ohio's top election official and is also responsible for filing business documents. The office has also attracted attention because of the role it plays when state questions are proposed for the ballot, Grubbe noted. The forum will be recorded and will be publicly posted for people who can't attend, Grubbe said. Other races Republicans also will need to nominate a secretary of state candidate in the May 5 primary, choosing between Robert Sprague and Marcell Strbich. There is also a Libertarian candidate in the race, Tom Pruss of Toledo, who was the Libertarian nominee in the 2024 Ninth District U.S. House race. While much of the excitement over the election year points toward November, Democrats have more than one statewide race to decide in May. There's also an attorney general matchup between Elliott Forhan and John J. Kulewicz, while the frontrunning Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, Sherrod Brown, will be on the Democratic ballot with a lesser-known candidate, Ron Kincaid. Republicans, meanwhile, must also decide a GOP primary in the race for state treasurer that matches up Jay Edwards, a former state representative, with state Sen. Kristina Roegner, R-Hudson.