Free Republic

Former Knox County Clerk Mike Padgett officially opened his campaign for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate Tuesday night with a fist-pounding speech in which he rhetorically told the incumbent, Republican Lamar Alexander, "We can do better, we should do better." The crowd of several hundred packed into a room at Calhoun's on the River responded frequently with loud applause and cheering. Standing behind him as he kicked off his campaign were family members; Knox County District Attorney General Randy Nichols; Knox County Commission Chairman Thomas "Tank" Strickland; former officeholders and seekers; and friends. Padgett said three points will...

NEW PHILADELPHIA, Ohio — The leading GOP candidate to replace U.S. Rep. Bob Ney is eligible to run in the primary, a county elections board ruled yesterday, denying a complaint filed by the brother of one of her opponents. The Tuscarawas County Board of Elections voted 2-1 along party lines against the challenge, which asserted that state Sen. Joy Padgett could not run because she already lost an election this year. One board member, Socrates Space, abstained from voting because his son, Dover law director Zack Space, is the Democratic candidate who will face the winner of the primary in...

After suggesting for nearly two weeks that they had legal grounds to push her off the November ballot, Democrats won’t challenge state Sen. Joy Padgett’s bid to replace U.S. Rep. Bob Ney, a party spokesman said yesterday. The decision clears the path for Padgett to run in a special Republican primary election next month to replace Ney, who dropped out of the race last week as his popularity suffered because of his relationship with ex-lobbyist Jack Abramoff, convicted of influence peddling. Individuals, however, still can file challenges to the Tuscarawas County Board of Elections by 4 p.m. today. If no...

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The favored candidate to take Rep. Bob Ney's spot on the ticket can legally do so under Ohio law, the state attorney general said Thursday. Secretary of State Ken Blackwell had sought the opinion from Attorney General Jim Petro as Republicans considered how to replace Ney, who announced this week he would not seek re-election. State Sen. Joy Padgett is the leading candidate, and would be eligible to enter a special primary or replace Ney on the November ballot, the attorney general said. Ney, a six-term GOP lawmaker, has come under scrutiny for his ties to Jack...

COLUMBUS, OHIO – While election officials are examining whether Rep. Bob Ney’s (R-Ohio) hand-picked successor is eligible to run for his seat in the fall, ...

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...