Gongwer: CCW at issue in selection of Sen. White's Dist. 14 GOP replacement

October 24, 2003
Gongwer News Service
Ohio Report

GOP LEADERS TAKE SIDES IN SENATE PRIMARY TILT

Republican leaders of the House and Senate have disagreed on issues regarding the budget, civil justice changes and concealed weapons. Senate President Doug White (R-Manchester) and Speaker Larry Householder (R-Glenford) also disagree on who should be sitting in Senator White’s seat come January 2005.

The two leaders, who both face term limits in 2004, have taken sides in the 14th Senate District contest in what’s shaping up as one of the more contentious primaries next spring. Evidenced by letters of support sent in recent weeks to prospective fund-raising targets, Senator White is backing Rep. Tom Niehaus (R-New Richmond), and Speaker Householder prefers Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Loveland). The primary winner will likely take all in the heavily Republican district.

“As the Senator who currently holds that seat, I have both a personal interest and obligation to my constituents to participate in the selection of my successor,” Senator White said in a letter dated September 2003. Paid for by the Committee to Elect Niehaus and signed “Doug and Shirley,” the letter underscores that the lawmaker’s wife also prefers Mr. Niehaus.

“Having served in both the House and Senate, I understand the skills needed to be successful as a legislator. Tom Niehaus has demonstrated his ability to work within the caucus to build consensus on issues and champion the causes important to his constituents,” Senator White’s letter states. “He currently represents three of the five counties in the Senate district, and officials in all three counties share my assessment of his performance.”

While Senator White’s letter notes Mr. Niehaus has earned the respect of “colleagues, agency officials and members of the lobbying community,” Speaker Householder’s praise of Ms. Schmidt includes more specifics on policy issues important to conservative Republicans, such as her “A-plus” rating from the National Rifle Association and her endorsement by state and local Right to Life groups.

“She wrote landmark legislation to block taxpayer funding of abortions at clinics like those operated by Planned Parenthood and she sponsored the measure that provided needed funding for abstinence education,” the speaker’s letter declares. On the subject of concealed-carry, the letter adds, “We need Jean Schmidt as our next state Senator because she won’t be afraid to stand up to politicians who stand in the way of our constitutional rights!”

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Both candidates said in interviews Friday that they were pleased with their campaigns’ progress thus far. Both cited economic development as a major issue for the area.

“Most of the elected officials in my county are backing me,” Ms. Schmidt said, adding: “I’m out-raising him ten-to-one.”

Mr. Niehaus said, “I’m very excited and appreciative of the support I’m getting in all five counties.” Asked about Mr. Householder’s intervention in the race, he said, “I don’t find anything odd about what happens in Columbus anymore.”

The key to the race could lie in Clermont County, one of five the district represents. Both candidates live there, and it holds about 185,000 of the total 330,000 residents in the entire Senate district.

As of Friday, there had been few other recent developments in other potential primary contests involving sitting members of the Legislature. Rep. Timothy Grendell (R-Chesterland) said he still had not decided whether to run against Rep. Jamie Callender (R-Willowick) for the 18th Senate District seat being vacated by Senator Robert Gardner (R-Madison). Mr. Grendell, who had a meeting with Governor Bob Taft’s staff this week, reiterated Friday that he would not run for the House in 2004.