Cincinnati-area Democratic Party has new leadership

EVENDALE, Ohio (AP) - A two-woman team will lead the Democratic Party in Hamilton County, replacing a chairman who served for 24 years.

WVXU radio reports that former state legislator Connie Pillich and Springfield Township trustee Gwen McFarlin are the first women to head the county party. Their team was the overwhelming choice of some 200 county party central committee members meeting Saturday at a United Auto Workers hall in the northern Cincinnati suburb of Evendale.

Pillich, who has run for statewide offices including governor, will focus on raising money, while McFarlin will concentrate on get-out-the-vote efforts.

They replace attorney Tim Burke, who helped build the party from a minority party that struggled to field full states of candidates to one whose gains included delivering the last three presidential votes to the Democratic candidate.