From The Metro Desk Of Cleveland Urban News.Com and The Kathy Wray Coleman Online News Blog.Com, Ohio's No 1 and No 2 online Black newspapers

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CLEVELAND, Ohio – Ohio state Sen. Shirley Smith (D-21) (pictured)), a Cleveland Democrat who this month formally announced her candidacy for Democratic Cuyahoga County Executive, a seat held now by 2014 Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ed FitzGerald, would be the first Black and first female to hold the post if she wins the 2014 Democratic primary and goes on to win the general election later that year.

“We must work together on a county and regional basis to tackle our shared challenges and pursue future economic development opportunities,”  Smith told Cleveland Urban News.Com, Ohio's most read online Black newspaper. “During the campaign I will emphasize the need to address foreclosed and abandoned properties and strengthen the health, human and social services provided to the residents of Cuyahoga County.”

Under a charter amendment that voters adopted in 2009, an elected county executive,  who gets paid $175,000 annually,  and an elected 11-member council, a part time job that pays $45,000 yearly,  are the Cuyahoga County governance bodies.

The controversial change in county governance, which Black elected officials and Black leaders overwhelmingly opposed, took effect in 2011 when FitzGerald took office. It took the county from a three- member county Board of Commissioners and the once elected but now appointed positions of county sheriff, clerk of courts, corner, engineer, auditor, treasurer and recorder to a county executive and county council, a  governance venue separate from the the 19- member Cleveland City Council, whose members collectively adopt city ordinances.

Smith has the support of several Black elected officials of greater Cleveland including state Rep. Bill Patmon (D-10) of Cleveland,  Cleveland councilpersons  Kevin Conwell, Mamie Mitchell and Zack Reed, East Cleveland Council members Dr. Joy Jordan, Barbara Thomas, Mansell Baker, and Shantell Lewis, and East Cleveland School Board Member Una H.R. Keenon, a retired East Cleveland judge who leads the Black Women's Political Action Committee.

The state lawmaker, whose bills include legislation on breast cancer awareness and a  state law that took effect this year that permits the sealing of Ohio criminal records (Senate Bill 337), including a felony and misdemeanor or two misdemeanors,  is the only Black in the race thus far . To date she faces a 2014 Democratic primary election  against state Rep. Armond Budish (D-9) of Beachwood,  a licensed attorney  with likely support from Ohio Democratic Party Chairperson Chris Redfern  , and former county sheriff Bob Reid, also a Democrat, and a former Bedford City Manager whom FitzGerald fired this year from his appointed sheriff's job.

Reid can brag of endorsements from some eight suburban mayors of cities such as Bedford and Bedford Hts. But with no support from Black elected officials, and endorsements from only a handful of suburban mayors from Cuyahoga County, Ohio's largest of 88 counties statewide, his candidacy might be an uphill battle, and an effort to annoy FitzGerald for firing him as sheriff.

Among Black movers and shakers of greater Cleveland  Budish enjoys support from political strategist Arnold Pinkney, an integral part of the Old Black Political Guard That guard, however, some of whom elected the first Black mayor of a major American city when Carl Stokes won for Cleveland mayor in 1967, is narrowing with age, and so is its clout.

The Old Black Political Guard does have clout though, but so does Smith, and sometimes across partisan lines.

Republican Gov John Kasich helped Smith, a smart and strong lawmaker, and a diva whom her peers and some constituents say dresses to the nines, win Republican state legislators to get her criminal records sealing bill (SB 337) through, an unprecedented measure most will agree.

Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge, a Warrensville Hts Democrat, has not taken sides yet. Her treasured endorsement as a member of Congress who chairs the Congressional Black Caucus speaks volumes.

Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson is being quiet on the race for now too. And county council president C. Ellen Conally, a retired Cleveland Municipal Court judge, is likely not running, political pundits say. Black leaders want her to stay put so Blacks can keep that seat, they say.

A two-term Black mayor of a major American majority Black city  running for reelection this year who faces, among others,  millionaire businessman Ken Lanci for a September 10 non-partisan primary election Jackson, 67, has substantial political influence And he has  Cleveland votes he can toss to the candidate he supports, and enormous power across racial lines.

Smith, 62, has been a strong advocate for the poor and socially disadvantaged throughout her 15 years of public service in the Ohio General Assembly, and a leader on policy matters such as child support, health disparities, metastatic breast cancer, job creation and sentencing reform. She said that in coming months she will outline specifically her stances on regionalism, health and human services, housing and the role of county government in job creation.

“As I expand my campaign, I will reach out across the area to like-minded citizens searching for strong, principled and inspirational leadership for Cuyahoga County Executive,” said Smith.

Republicans have been relatively mum about  a candidate for the potential Republican nominee for the county executive slot, who will face the winner in next year's Democratic primary, possibly Smith, whose 21st state legislative district includes  most of Cleveland's 19 wards.

Cuyahoga County has Cleveland as its largest city, and is roughly 30 percent Black, and a Democratic stronghold.