CINCINNATI — One of the city's most prominent political organizations announced this week who among the widening field of City Council hopefuls it will give its support.
Throughout its 96-year history, the Charter Committee of Greater Cincinnati has endorsed Democrats, Republicans and Independents alike, and this year's class is no different.
Committee president Matt Woods said the group's platform centered around transparency and good governance is especially appropriate for the city's current political climate marked by division and scandal.
"This moment calls for people across the political spectrum to unite around the principles of good government. Those principles led Cincinnati out of a previous corruption scandal, and they are needed now more than ever," Woods said in a news release, referring to last year's indictments of three sitting Council members on public corruption and bribery charges.
Dating back to 1924, the committee was established in response to what, at the time, was Cincinnati's growing reputation as one of the country's most corrupt cities under political boss, George Cox.
"Charter Committee is proud of the work our organization has put into the process to vet and built a team of nine good governance candidates," Woods said. "It is exciting to see so much activism in our city, and to witness the desire to infuse City Hall with competence and ethics."
Charter's lineup includes candidates from both major parties, independents and some who identify simply as Charterites. Some are political newcomers and others are familiar names, some having previously served in office:
- Kevin Flynn (Mt. Airy) - attorney, former City Council member
- Jackie Frondorf (Westwood) - neighborhood advocate, involved in Westwood Works
- Bill Frost (Pleasant Ridge) - engineer, former Pleasant Ridge Community Council president
- Steve Goodin (Clifton) - attorney, current City Council member
- Galen G. Gordon (West End) - sales manager, active with West End Community Council
- Cam Hardy (Downtown) - legal assistant, Better Bus Coalition president
- Liz Keating (Hyde Park) - marketing director, current City Council member
- Victoria Parks (College Hill) - former chief of staff to Hamilton County Commissioner Todd Portune, former Hamilton County commissioner
- Jim Tarbell (Over-the-Rhine) - businessman, former Cincinnati vice mayor, former Cincinnati mayor
While the committee has consistently endorsed candidates throughout its history, this is the first time in recent years that it has endorsed a full slate of nine candidates.
The committee interviewed more than 20 candidates as part of its endorsement process.
