Courthouse candidates pack ballot

FREMONT — The Republican primary March 17 is a battleground of contested elections next year, and the Sandusky County Courthouse is Ground Zero.Two Republicans are running for judge, three for prosecutor, and two are vying for the party nomination for the clerk of courts office.The courthouse has been a hotbed of dysfunction the last few years, with county prosecutor Tim Braun pawing female subordinates, sexually harassing them and threatening to send them to prison for fighting back, all the while an incumbent judge, John Dewey, and the court administrator, Brock Kimmet, appear to have worked to protect him from exposure.Dewey is not seeking re-election. The court administrator is an appointed position.It's still unresolved if Braun will survive an attempt across multiple fronts to remove him from office before June 30, the date by which he must resign under a plea deal reached Dec. 6 that ended a seven-month sex crimes and falsification criminal investigation of him by the state.On Friday, Gov. Mike DeWine announced he would file a court case to remove Braun immediately under a state law that grants the governor the power to remove a elected prosecutor with cause. On Saturday, the county Republican Party central committee voted to ask Braun to resign as prosecutor and from the committee. All GOP prosecutor's raceThree local attorneys each want to replace Braun in 2021, one of whom could be tapped to succeed him and serve out the rest of his term to the end of 2020. When Braun resigns — by June 30, or before as pressure mounts for him to step down now — the county Republican Party central committee will select an interim prosecutor to replace him.The person who wins the March 17 Republican primary likely will become the next elected prosecutor after the November election for the term beginning Jan. 4, 2021, although there is still time before the Jan. 6, 2019, deadline for write-in candidates to file.Nobody filed to run for prosecutor as a Democrat.Robert G. Hart, of Fremont, former judge and city prosecutor, Joshua D. Clark, an attorney, former military police officer and a firefighter who lives in Bellevue, and Beth A. Tischler, of Clyde, the law director in the city of Maumee, each filed candidate petitions to run for county prosecutor.Replacing DeweyThe primary race for Judge Dewey's seat is between Jon Ickes and Cynthia A. Welty, both of Fremont. The winner of that race will face John Kolesar, of Clyde, the only Democrat to file.Common Pleas Court Judge Jeremiah S. Ray, a Democrat of Bellevue, and Probate-Juvenile Judge Brad Smith, a Republican from Fremont, both face no partisan opposition in their re-election bids.Other officesThe Republicans also will have a primary race for two county commission seats now held by incumbents Scott Miller and Kay E. Reiter, both Republicans and both from Fremont.Miller faces a primary challenge from John C. Havens of Burgoon. Reiter is up against Charles Schwochow, of Fremont, in the March 17 primary. The winners of those races will face Democratic opponents Jim Sleek, of Fremont, and Holly R. Elder, also from Fremont, respectively, in November.Sheriff Chris Hilton, of Castalia, and county recorder Colleen Carmack, of Fremont, both Republican, don't face opponents in the primary or general election next year.County engineer, Republican Carlos A. Baez Sr., of Fremont, also has no opposition.*Dewey's revenge? Clerk of courts Tracy Overmyer faces a primary challenge from Judge Dewey's longtime executive assistant, Chris Schneider. What's up with that? Get Thursday's Register. Robert Hart