WARREN — Despite a number of Trumbull Democrats, including himself, losing or having races much closer than expected, party Chairman Dan Polivka has no intention of resigning.

“No, I’m finishing my term anyhow” as chairman, Polivka said Wednesday, a day after he lost his re-election bid for county commissioner by 4.6 percent to Republican Niki Frenchko. “Election cycles come and go.”

His term as chairman, a position he’s held since 2010, doesn’t expire until 2022.

“We will regroup,” Polivka said. “The Democratic Party is still viable, and a vast majority of officeholders (are) Democrats. The effects come with the down ticket of the presidential race. I congratulate the winners and feel for those that didn’t. I know the feeling.”

It wasn’t a good election for Democrats in Trumbull, a once-reliable county for the political party. Republican President Donald Trump won the county for the second election and by a larger margin than in 2016. In addition to Polivka, state Rep. Gil Blair, D-Weathersfield, lost his election.

U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Howland, was re-elected in the 13th Congressional District, but lost Trumbull — his home county — by 1.2 percent while Trumbull didn’t produce a big enough win for state Sen. Sean O’Brien, D-Bazetta, to offset his defeats in other parts of the Ohio Senate 32nd District. Also, numerous county races were far closer than in previous elections.

State Rep. Michael J. O’Brien, D-Warren, one of the longest serving elected officials in Trumbull County — and who is narrowly ahead in his Ohio House race, said of Polivka: “It’s time to step down.”

He added: “The Democratic Party in Trumbull County has to reorganize and refocus its message. It’s obvious it lacks leadership.”

County Commissioner Mauro Cantalamessa, a Democrat who was leading in his race by 7.9 percent, said: “We may need a change at the helm to bring back those Democrats that have left the party.”

But he said it was early to determine if Polivka should go.

“The Democratic Party in my tenure has been successful many times, but we’ve seen lifelong Democrats shy away,” Cantalamessa said. “One of the first orders of the party is a definite heart-to-heart talk as to how we can move forward.”

Commissioner Frank Fuda, a Democrat who’s had several run-ins with Polivka and publicly backed Frenchko, said the chairman’s resignation is his decision.

But he added a frequent criticism of Polivka: “I don’t think the chairman of the party should hold elected office. You should have independent people. It’s not a good idea. But it’s not up to me.”

Polivka still has his supporters in the party hierarchy.

Kathi DiCristofaro, the party’s vice chairwoman and the head of the Ohio Democratic Women’s Caucus, said: “I am not ready for him to step down in any way. It’s difficult for an elected official to handle all of the responsibilities of party chairman. Each person has to decide if they are able to do both. It’s his decision to make. It’s an awful lot of responsibility to handle. That he’s been able to do it for this long is commendable.”

Jeff Goodman, the party’s parliamentarian who is close to Polivka, said: “I don’t think any of it is Polivka’s fault. I don’t think a different Democratic chairman would have changed the outcome. We don’t need a new Democratic chair. I think Dan does a great job. He’s an excellent chairman.”

DiCristofaro and Goodman said Fuda working against Polivka hurt him in his race.

“Trumbull Democrats continue to field good candidates and hold the vast majority of elected offices,” Goodman said.

Sean O’Brien said whether Polivka remains chairman is up to the party.

“We’ll see what happens,” Sean O’Brien said. “Whoever was chairman wasn’t going to be able to overcome this Republican wave. You can’t give him credit or blame. I don’t think Dan could have done anything about it.”