By John Kiesewetter
The Cincinnati Enquirer

HAMILTON - With all the Butler County Republican Party infighting and negative reaction to the Greg Jolivette-Courtney Combs job swap, Democratic Party leaders thought somebody would step forward to run for county commissioner.

It hasn't happened.

Democratic Party chairman Dan Gattermeyer in March had set Memorial Day weekend as the deadline for party members to express interest in challenging Jolivette Nov. 2.

"No one has really announced they're interested in seeking it," said Gattermeyer, the former county prosecutor.

"I've had serious conversations with three or four people, but they don't want to take any heat for saying (publicly) that they're thinking about it," he said.

The struggle to find a candidate shows how outmanned Democrats are in Butler County, where Republicans control every countywide elected office, all the statehouse seats, and most of the campaign dollars.

While the Republican Party sits on a $106,000 war chest, the Democrats have $11,379 in the bank, according to the most recent Butler County Board of Elections reports.

"The big question is financing a campaign. A countywide campaign is very expensive," says Richard Holzberger, a Democrat and former Butler County sheriff and Hamilton councilman.

"You have to raise $100,000 or $200,000, and that's a daunting prospect - and very time consuming. If you're a Democrat, you have to get out and scratch and claw your own way," said Catherine Stoker, the West Chester Township trustee challenging Commissioner Michael A. Fox on the November ballot.

Though low on cash, Democrats say they have no shortage of issues: The January job swap orchestrated by the state Republican Party that made Combs a legislator and Jolivette a commissioner to avoid a Jolivette-Fox primary; party leadership battles with Fox; and the county's heavy-handed attempt to create special tax districts on new subdivisions without first consulting with township trustees.

"I don't believe any city, county or state should be so lopsided to any one party. There's a need for checks and balances," said Pat Moeller, a Democrat and Hamilton vice mayor.

"I hate to see money control this situation, but I'm sure some people (prospective candidates) would have to put a considerable amount of their own money into a campaign. It's a big decision to make," Moeller said.

Technically, a Democrat has until August to file for the race against Jolivette, the former Hamilton mayor - and a former Democrat - who switched parties in 1997.

Gattermeyer said he's confident a candidate will be named at the party's June 17 meeting. That would allow the person to campaign all summer at fairs and festivals, he said.

E-mail jkiesewetter@enquirer.com