Supreme Court race nasty form the start

The Ohio Republican Party on Wednesday launched a shot across the bow of district court Judge Mary Jane Trapps’ campaign for the state Supreme Court. They did not even wait for her to officially announce.

But wait. Appearing with Trapp at her formal announcement were Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland and Democrat Party Chairman Chris Redfern.

So much for Supreme Court races being nonpartisan.

The race between Trapp and Jutice Judith Lanzginer will be on the ballot in Novemebr 2010 — assuming Trapp wins the Democratic primary. That seems pretty certain, with the party leadership lining up behind her this early.

Republicans immediately tried to discredit Trapp, saying she has been ineffective as the administrative judge of the 11th District Court of Appeals, which sits in Warren. Judges Diane Grendell and Colleen Mary O’Toole dissented to her re-appointment on Jan. 6 of this year, saying she is secretive and does not kep her word and her decisions have increased costs for the court.

Democrats responded by calling Grendell and O’Toole “hack judges,” according to the Columbus Dispatch.

The early name calling aside, Democrats have only themselves to blame for the all-GOP Ohio Supreme Court.  Republicans have consistently outspent Democrats in Ohio Supreme Court races. While million-dollor Supreme Court races are a bad thing for Ohio, William O’Neill went nowhere with his no-money-from-nobody campaign a couple of years back.

If Demcorats want to elect Trapp or any other Democrat to the court, they need to start spending like they mean it — at least until some sensible rules are put into place. Maybe the presence of Redfern and Strickland at Trapp’s press conference suggests that is going to change.