Cleveland Municipal Court Judge Connally Considers Supreme Court Run

CLEVELAND – Democratic leaders from across Ohio have encouraged veteran Municipal Court Judge C. Ellen Connally to run for Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice and are circulating petitions on her behalf.

“I'm honored by the enthusiastic support and cooperation I am receiving from fellow Democrats,” said Connally, who was first elected to the Cleveland Municipal Court in 1979.

A lifelong resident of Cleveland, Judge Connally served as a General Trial Referee in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court and as a law clerk in the Cuyahoga County Court of Appeals. She is a graduate of the Cleveland State University Marshall College of Law. She has a bachelor's degree from Bowling Green State University and a Master's Degree from Cleveland State. She is working on a doctorate's degree in American History from the University of Akron.

Ohio Democratic leaders, including U.S. Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-Cleveland), have strongly urged Judge Connally to enter the race because of her extensive experience and dedication to high-quality public service. Judge Connally is a past president of the Northern Ohio Municipal Judges Association and a member of the Ohio Judicial College's Board of Trustees. She is a former president of the University Board of Trustees of Bowling Green State University. Judge Connally is also the mother of Cpl. Seth Connally, United States Marine Corp, who is a combat veteran of the Iraqi war, and a 24-year breast cancer survivor.

Ohio Democratic Party members have already begun circulating petitions for candidacy for Judge Connally as she carefully weighs her decision to enter the race. The six-year position for Chief Justice is one of four seats on the Ohio Supreme Court that are up for election in November 2004. To be a party's nominee for justice, candidates must file by Jan. 2 and be selected by their party at the March 2 primary election.

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