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).
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.
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.
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.