ELYRIA — State Rep. Joseph Koziura, D-Lorain, says he is interested in running for Lorain County commissioner after veteran Betty Blair announced Thursday that she is not running again next year.

Koziura, who cannot continue in his state job past 2010 due to term limits, said the job certainly has its challenges because of a county budget crisis, but he would be ready to take them on.

“It’s easy to govern when you’ve got money,” said Koziura, who weathered some tough financial challenges in the city of Lorain as its auditor and mayor.

When he left the Lorain mayor’s office in 1999, Koziura said, “the budget was balanced and Lakeview Park was in the city of Lorain.”

Since then, Lorain has struggled with financial problems and turned Lakeview Park over to the Lorain County Metro Parks.

Another Lorain politician and Democrat, Councilman Greg Holcomb, said he, too, might be interested.

Holcomb said he just was re-elected this year and will not make a decision until next year on whether to enter the race.

Holcomb previously served as a tax settlement specialist with the Lorain County Auditor’s Office and now is employed as a development officer of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lorain County.

Four years ago at the age of 22, Holcomb became the youngest elected official in the history of the city. He is a graduate of John Carroll University earning a bachelor’s of arts degree with double majors in political science and history.

He received his master’s degree in public administration from Cleveland State University’s Levin College of Urban Affairs this year.

On the Republican side, Rita Canfield said it is “pretty early” to express interest in running, but she’s tried it before — losing prior elections to Blair and Commissioner Ted Kalo.

“I wouldn’t rule anything out,’’ Canfield said Friday.

Contact Cindy Leise at 329-7245 or cleise@chroniclet.com.

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