State Sen. Paula Hicks-Hudson has been elected chairman of the Lucas County Democratic Party, Matt Keyes, spokesman for the Ohio Democratic Part, confirmed Monday.
Ms. Hicks-Hudson, former Toledo mayor and state representative, was elected to the Ohio Senate in November and was named chairman at the party’s central committee meeting April 10.
She replaces Lucas County Recorder Michael Ashford who stepped down as chairman at the beginning of April.
“My first responsibility is to serve as recorder,” Mr. Ashford said, in an interview in March. “During a presidential year, the chair works a minimum 40-hour work week, and I do not have the time to do that.”
Ms. Hicks-Hudson said Monday that she is up to the task and the time commitment, noting that her experience as Mayor was the ultimate responsibility — a 24/7 job.
“It is an awesome responsibility and I am humbled by the support of my colleagues,” Ms. Hicks-Hudson said of her new position.
“I would not accept this position if I did not think I could give it the time and attention that it needs,” she said. “I have a great team to help and we are going to lay out plans to engage more of the party to take on the roles that they can take on and to do what we need to do.”
She said her ultimate goal is to help the Lucas County Democratic Party win more elections and that for democracy to work, more people need to be engaged in elections and political processes.
When told she might be in the running for the chairmanship, Ms. Hicks-Hudson said he was most interested to go ahead with it because she believes there is an “assault on our democracy” and that the only way to fight back is to take the lead in getting people more engaged, which she believes she can do from her new position.
“My ultimate goal is for us to get more Democrats elected and push forward the principles of the Democratic party,” Ms. Hicks-Hudson said. “How you do that is through organizing, fundraising, talking to people, and explaining what it is to be a Democrat.”
Lucas County Democratic Party bylaws dictate that first vice-chair positions must be held by someone of the opposite gender of the chairman.
As such, Mark Sobczak, Ms. Hicks-Hudson’s chief of staff during her time as mayor, is now party first vice-chair, and Catherine Hernandez is now second vice-chair. Portia Ash remains party secretary and Daniel Ortiz is the new party treasurer.
Mac Driscoll, a member of the party’s central committee who recently served as its interim treasurer, said he is looking forward to what Ms. Hicks-Hudson’s tenure will bring.
“Paula is a superstar leader locally,” Mr. Driscoll said Monday. “We are very lucky to have her involved, and I think she is going to take us to a brighter future as a party.”
First Published April 24, 2023, 8:44 p.m.
