Franklin County judge won’t run for reelection because the party doesn’t think he ‘reflects’ their ‘values’

An incumbent Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court judge in Franklin County dropped out of the race for reelection after the local Democratic Party said his values were not aligned with theirs, effectively allowing his political opponent, who was the only candidate who opposed him, to win the primary.

Franklin County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court Judge George Leach has withdrawn from the Democratic primary race, according to The Columbus Dispatch, which obtained a certified list of candidates posted by the Franklin County Board of Elections.

Leach withdrew from the race because the Franklin County Democratic Party snubbed him back in February, choosing to support and endorse family law attorney Kelley Boller instead. The Dispatch reported that it is unclear exactly whether Leach withdrew from the race recently or back in February and made the announcement only now.

Boller celebrated the recent news in her recent post on her campaign’s Facebook page.

“I have some really good news. This morning, I was informed that I am the only candidate remaining in the Democratic primary for Domestic and Juvenile Court judge. I want to thank everyone for their support so far!!! I’m going to take a few days off and let my skin heal. The euchre event is still on, please join us to celebrate this milestone!!!” she wrote.

Boller told The Dispatch that she was “really excited” and looking forward to serving Franklin County as a judge. Considering that no Republican officially announced a run for the same judge position, as previously reported by The Dispatch, she de facto won the race and got the job.

Leach’s withdrawal comes more than two months after the Democratic Party’s central committee members decided not to endorse Leach in favor of Boller, according to the news source. The committee members justified their refusal to endorse Leach by citing concerns about the reversal of some of his decisions at the 10th District Court of Appeals, which is composed entirely of Democrats.

“George Leach has not earned the privilege of being endorsed by the Franklin County Democratic Party for a second term,” the screening committee report said. “The committee also questions whether Judge Leach reflects the values of the Democratic Party.”

The committee’s concerns are justified, since Leach ran unsuccessfully for judge as a Republican in 2017, according to The Dispatch. The news source reported that Leach made the switch and won his first term on the bench, like several other judges who have recently left the Republican Party to join the Democratic Party to have a chance to win election or reelection in the politically left-leaning Franklin County.

The reverse case occurred in Ohio before, when a person ideologically aligned with Democrats ran as a Republican to unseat U.S. Rep. Mike Carey, R-Ohio. Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose removed him from the ballot and, after Ronan asked the U.S. Supreme Court for emergency action, the Justices refused, siding with LaRose.

The Dispatch reported that, to avoid endorsing an allegedly fake Democrat, the committee recommended Boller, citing her 25 years of legal experience, her passion for the work, and her status as an active member of the Democratic Party. The committee also chose Boller to score the political points with LGBT people, since Boller identifies as LGBT.

Leach was elected to the bench in 2020 for a full term beginning in 2021, The Dispatch reported, adding that he previously worked in “both private and court-appointed roles as counsel representing children, adults, minors, and parents in criminal, juvenile, and family matters since 2001.”