Posted on 01/11/2009 6:15:32 PM PST by Comparative Advantage
Sen. George V. Voinovich is expected to announce Monday morning that he will not seek a third-term next year, The Dispatch has learned.
Although Voinovich spokesman Chris Paulitz declined comment, Voinovich is scheduled Monday to reveal his decision in a conference call with his most loyal supporters and fundraisers.
Voinovich's expected decision would end one of the most storied political careers in Ohio history. During his more than 40 years in politics, the 72-year-old Republican has held the offices of governor, senator, lieutenant governor and mayor of Cleveland.
The Dispatch reported Thursday that Voinovich, 72, was reconsidering his longtime stance that he would run in 2010. Until last week, Voinovich had publicly insisted he would seek re-election and had nearly $3 million in his campaign treasury.
Voinovich apparently had a change of heart in the past few days or weeks that led him to at least reconsider running. Robert T. Bennett, chairman of the Ohio Republican Party, told The Dispatch Thursday that Voinovich told him during a Dec. 23 meeting that he was a candidate for re-election.
Tonight, Bennett said that he didn't know what Voinovich had decided. But Bennett said he would not be surprised if Voinovich has indeed decided to forgo a third term.
"He may be having second thoughts," Bennett said. "I think George is looking at eight years, when he will be 81 and Janet will be 85. He's a family man."
Former Republican congressman Rob Portman of Cincinnati has indicated in the past that he would be interested in running for the Senate if Voinovich decided not to run. Portman, who served as U.S. trade representative and director of the Office of Management of Budget for President Bush, would be a formidable fundraiser.
Nobody can tell me that the jackasses in Washington didn’t see this switch to Socialism and all these economic crises coming 2 years ago. Ever notice how many “Republicans” retired to go home and “spend more time with the family” over the past couple of years?
I hope so. I’m more optimistic in general than many other people. Things look very bad now, but they’ve looked worse. FDR’s reign, for example. The Nixon fallout.
The good news is the RNC seems to be getting its act together and giving “compassionate conservatism” the old heave-ho. Frankly, I don’t believe the conventional wisdom that losing parties go centrist in the next election. It’s probably true if they weren’t centrist to begin with, but Bush was Mr. Centrist, or at least tried to be. I want to see Blackwell run for Senate.
NE Ohio is McGovern and Mondale country. Can we keep this seat with all the blue collar job loss that will be blamed on Bush? Brown won his seat from DeWine by a large percentage in 2006
Dont let the door hit your a$$ on the way out VoRINOvich.
Nope. He's going to be chairman of the RNC.
He won't. He's going to be RNC chairman.
Why worry? We never had the seat. It was occupied by a whiny RINO. I would rather the seat go to someone who stands for what he or she believes instead of some jackass who spends his day with his finger in the wind.
Blackwell got crushed in his Gubernatorial run. He's a nice guy, but a horrible campaigner who ran a disastrous campaign. I'm afraid his days of statewide elected office are over.
Beyond Rob Portman, I'm not sure anyone stands a chance.
>>Nope. He's going to be chairman of the RNC.<
He can do both.
I don't thinks he's a bad campaigner. I've seen him motivate crowds.
I think he lost because the lib media crucified him and a lot of his staffers stunk.
If he does run ( and I’d love to see him do it; I voted for him for governor) he needs to stay away from the whackjob televangelists like Rod Parsley this time.
No more damage for him to do to the Republican Party, so he’ll go home.
From what is being said here in Ohio, look for either Rob Portman or Mike DeWine. Most believe that John Kasich will support Portman leaving DeWine on the outside.
The Republicans screwed the pooch when Voinovich as Govenor raised taxes and Bob Taft did not have a clue on how to govern.
But with the Democrats in D.C. and Strickland in the Govenor’s office, all the blame will be on them when ecomonic crap hits the fan. Strickland talked about “Turn Ohio Around”, still waitiing and it is getting worse. And he still has done nothing on School Financing Reform that he talked about.
WSill he cry at the presser?
Another RINO down.
Amen to that, Brother!
DeWine back?!?
You made me throw up in my mouth!
He's a freakin' RINO. Can't we get rid of them completely?
Never gonna happen. Even the other RINOs in charge of the party (Bob Bennett comes to mind) know that he's a loser.
DeWine had a 70% negative rating within the party before he got whacked by Brown.
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