It’s not easy being a Republican in Athens County.
There are twice as many registered Democrats than Republicans in the city and the county. County Auditor Jill Thompson is the only Republican public officeholder in the city and county.
November’s city council elections will not yield a Republican officeholder either, because no Republicans filed paperwork for the May primary, said Pete Couladis, chairman of the Athens County Republican Party.
“We just don’t have the allies out there that we should, like the business community and Athens Area Chamber of Commerce,” Couladis said. “They complain a lot about what happens in city hall but when elections come around, they run and hide. If the voters want a balanced government, they’ve got to step forward and help our candidates.”
Thompson said that she won the trust of voters by working with a nonpartisan attitude.
“I just don’t look at races by party affiliation,” Thompson said. “I have to work in this office and earn the right to work my job. Those decisions are not made in a partisan way.”
Though she is the sole Republican in county government, Thompson said she has been well-received by county Democrats since taking office in 2000, but that their trust had to be earned.
“I’m working with people and communicating with the people the best I can,” she said. “That means reaching across the aisle to my Democratic colleagues.”
Though there is communication between the two parties at the county level, Couladis said that voters don’t realize the city government is hurt by “one-party rule.”
“If you go anywhere else and promote one-party rule, they’ll say it’s unhealthy,” Couladis said. “For some reason, people here don’t think that.”
This “one-party rule” is justified by election results that put Democrats in office, said Athens City Councilwoman Michele Papai, D-3rd Ward.
“On the local level, you tend to go with what your constituents ask of you,” Papai said. “Most of the people seem to hold Democratic values.”
Couladis said that voters tend to cast straight-ticket ballots, though, based solely on party affiliations.
“It’s all about having a ‘D’ after your name,” he said. “If you have an ‘R’ after your name, it’s seen as evil.”
sh335311@ohiou.edu
