Add to that the absolute dearth of effective female GOP leaders in Ohio (trust me, Deb Pryce is my congresswoman.)
Joy Padgett is no ball of fire either. Her record in statewide politics isn't particularly noteworthy. Same old, same old. Brought to you by the Bob Taft fan club.
Ney's district was "historically" marginal to Dem leaning until it was redrawn for the 2002 election, and shed a lot of Dem precincts around Youngstown and other rust belt areas near the Ohio River, and became Bush country to the tune of about 57%, as I recall.