by Eric Marotta
News Leader Editor
Akron -- Although a majority of his group's endorsed candidates lost contested races March 4, the head of the New Summit County Republicans still believes he has enough support to replace Summit County Republican Party Chairman Alex Arshinkoff.
But Arshinkoff supporters claim the New Republicans, led by state Sen. Kevin Coughlin (R-District 27), is far short of the majority it would need to replace Arshinkoff, the party leader of 29 years, at the committee's organizational meeting in a few weeks.
The party leader is voted on each year by a central committee, whose 475 members were all up for election March 4. In January, Coughlin announced that the New Republicans had recruited more than 300 individuals to run for committee.
About half of those recruits did not face challengers and were elected to the committee. But according to final, unofficial results from the Summit County Board of Elections, of Coughlin's 148 recruits who had a ballot opponent, only 66 were victorious, leaving it unclear if his group had reached its goal.
Angela McMillen, Republican Party executive director, said she finds it hard to believe Coughlin's claim that so many of the unopposed committee members have committed to the "False Republicans" cause. She noted "Real Republican" party workers helped circulate petitions for almost 300 uncontested precinct committee members.
"What Coughlin is saying is 160 of our people have lied to us," McMillen said.
Coughlin remains confident he has enough support to vote out Arshinkoff.
"I believe we do have that [majority]," Coughlin said March 6, noting the New Republicans were still recruiting new members.
A lot may depend on turnout.
In the past, less than half of the committee members have turned out to vote for a leader, according to party officials.
Central committee members have few other duties than to represent their party while working the polls.
The New Republicans allege the party has been mismanaged under Arshinkoff's leadership, accusations which the party denies.
The Summit County Board of Elections expects to certify the March 4 results by April 1.
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