Senate Minority Leader Kenny Yuko swears in state Senator Dale Martin, who stands beside state Senator Sandra Williams.  

State Senator Dale B. Martin [D-Cleveland] was officially appointed and sworn in this past Tuesday as the state senator for Ohio's 21st  Senate District to serve out the unexpired term of Senator Sandra Williams, which will end December 31.

Martin has worked as an electrician for more than four decades, most recently for Cleveland Public Power. He is also a retired member of IBEW Local 673. Politically he has worked as a volunteer in voter registration and get out the vote campaigns.

Martin is widely understood to be Williams' significant other, a fact that appears to be unreported but which  many insiders cite as relevant in his selection by the Senate's Democratic caucus. Five candidates applied to succeed Williams. A screening committee comprised of Senate Minority Leader Kenny Yuko, D-Richmond Hts., Assistant Minority Leader Nickie Antonio, D-Lakewood, and Hearcel Craig of Columbus interviewed state rep. Terrence Upchurch and community activist Marcia McCoy, in addition to Martin. Former state senator Jeff Johnson and attorney Retanio A. J. Rucker also applied but neither was interviewed in the short time frame allotted to the process.

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A closer look at the black community's disappearing 21st Ohio District

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