Ed FitzGerald reclines, relaxed, methodically taking notes as though he were culling together arrows for his political quiver.

He glances up periodically to scan the reactions of the 125 Athens County Democratic Party members gathered at the local American Legion hall listening to area favorite Debbie Phillips introduce the man who will challenge Ohio Gov. John Kasich this November.

Athens County Democrats haven’t gathered a crowd so large for a party dinner since another local favorite, Ted Strickland, was running for governor in 2006. The doors to Post 21 have been flung open to allow in the cool Saturday night […]