Posted on 08/07/2006 1:00:15 AM PDT by RWR8189
U.S. Rep. Bob Ney, dogged by an influence peddling probe in Washington, will not seek re-election, state Sen. Joy Padgett said early Monday.
Ney called Padgett on Saturday and asked the fellow Republican to run in his place, saying that defending himself has been a strain on his family, she said.
"It's a very sad time," Padgett said of Ney's decision, first reported by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on its Web site.
She said Ney told her, "that there's only so much he can take. He said, 'I have to do this.'"
Padgett told The Associated Press she would run for Ney's seat.
Calls to Ney's office and staff were not immediately returned. He has not been charged and has denied wrongdoing.
This is one seat GOP will not hold IMHO. Ney selfishly waited too long to turn over the campaign to a more viable candidate.
Murtha going down in the district to the east (PA-12) will even it back up.
According to NRO Sixers:
http://sixers.nationalreview.com/
Re: Ney
[Greg Pollowitz 08/07 08:09 AM]
As Kathryn's link stated, it's expected that State Senator Joy Padgett will run in Ney's place.....
Padgett was running for Lt. Gov. with Jim Petro before Petro lost to Ken Blackwell in the May primary.
Ney deciding not to seek reelection makes what could have been a competitive race (the district is quite Republican, and the Dem candidate is third-tier, but if Ney got indicted it could turn into a Flanagan-Rostenkowski election) into a fairly safe GOP seat. Joy Padgett represents much of the district in the state senate and should win easily over the loser Democrat. However, my recollection is that Padgett is a bit of a RINO, so this may not be good news in the long run (it would be easier for a conservative to beat a "Democrat Flanagan" in 2008 than to defeat Padgett in the GOP primary).
BTW, good thing Ohio isn't Texas, or else Ney would have to either stay on the ballot or let the RAT win by default.
Even as an Ohioan I don't know a heck of a lot about Joy Padgett, I know she's pro gun which is good, and is a fierce campaigner.
I also know that this seat is a lot safer now, in a year that might be brutal.
I don't know. good for him though. I guess one reason to put this one fairly low is that Space is a weak candidate.
"Ney, 52, said he will serve out the remainder of his term through the end of the year. James Lee, a spokesman for Ohio Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell, pointed to a state law that says a special election must be held in the district to replace Ney as the Republican nominee for the seat on the Nov. 7 ballot.
"The law says if a person nominated in a primary election for Congress withdraws more than 80 days before the general election -- today is 92 days before the general election ? the county boards of elections in the district must hold a special election "as soon as reasonably practicable."
"Lee said the office also is researching whether any sore loser provision in the statutes would prevent Padgett, who ran and lost in the Republican primary in May for lieutenant governor on a ticket with Attorney General Jim Petro, from running for Ney's seat."
Did the updated analysis of Bonilla's district affect your view of his chances any?
This is great news and I applaud Bob Ney for doing the right thing. Now, if Katherine Harris, Conrad Burns, and Alan Schlesinger would follow his example, the GOP's electoral prospects would be a lot better.
With Ney gone, this is a seat the GOP will hold easily.
No.
It didn't take long though to get another bizarre email from James Brodbelt Harris about this.
According to this we could have a special primary soon.
I did some reading on Joy Padgett, and she's the prime sponsor of concealed-carry legislation in Ohio, and according to her answers to an Ohio Right to Life questionnaire is 100% pro-life. http://www.ohiovotesforlife.org/survey_SSD_2004.htm
I'm not sure what her positions are on other issues, but I guess the reason I thought she was a social liberal was the fact that Jim Petro selected her as his running mate. The fact that she's a social conservative is a relief, since Ney's district is very socially conservative although more populist on economics.
From an AP article (via The Hedgehog Report):
"Under state law, the vacancy on the ballot will be filled by Republican voters in a primary. GOP officials said they hope to clear the field for Joy Padgett, a state senator.
. . .
Padgett faces a primary election under Ohio law that requires a primary if a candidate withdraws or dies more than 80 days before a general election. James Lee, a spokesman for Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, said his office was consulting its lawyers to determine how to proceed. No Republican has come forward to challenge Padgett."
I have no idea what would happen if Ney drops out 79 days or less prior to the election.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.