A combination of Republican lawbreakers in Washington and in Columbus threw some normally sure house seats up in the air this year. But the GOP was able to hold on to all but one - the 18th district seat held by disgraced Congressman Bob Ney. Democrat Zack Space was an easy winner there. But Democrats were unable to oust Jean Schmidt - who was running for her first full term after barely beating Paul Hackett last year. She angered even some republicans for implying on the house floor that Congressman John Murtha, a veteran, was a coward. Paul Hackett decided not to challenge her and Schmidt won by just 2,500 votes beating a political neophyte.
The Republican National Committee party put up money and even orchestrated visits by Vice President Cheney to capture the seats left open by Ted Strickland and Sherrod Brown, but it didn't help. Charlie Wilson, who had to win the Democratic primary as a write-in candidate, was able to recover Strickland's seat. Brown's old seat went to Democrat Betty Sutton, who ran on the issue of cleaning up corruption. She said last night that Democrats would try to break the power of certain industries to write policy.
Betty Sutton: $2.3 billion (was) spent on lobbying, so we have to get a hold on the undue influence of special interests. That's key to everything we will do on health care, jobs and every other issue.
Sutton defeated Lorain Mayor Craig Foltin, a Republican who supported the same pro-labor trade policies that most democrats back. His party had expected Foltin to face veteran Congressman Tom Sawyer, who had broken with other Ohio Democrats and voted for the North American Free Trade Agreement. When Sutton won the primary, the GOP realized Foltin couldn't win and pulled their money. Sutton was criticized for a vicious primary campaign against Sawyer and Foltin said he expected her to be more negative against him. In a speech to his supporters, he was gracious.
Craig Foltin: I've asked her to remember Lorain, and I've pledged to work with her and I urge all my supporters here to rally behind here because she is our congressman. And we need that congressman to work in Washington D.C. to make this a better area and region.
Some of the money the GOP pulled from Foltin's race went to bolster Columbus incumbent Deborah Pryce. One of her party's leaders in the House, she was dragged down by the Mark Foley scandal but was able to just hold off a challenge. Another powerful republican, Steve Chabot of Cincinnati, also faced an unexpectedly strong challenge but managed a win.
But while powerful Ohio Republicans like John Boehner, Deborah Pryce, and Ralph Regula may have won reelection, they have lost power. As the Democrats take control, Ohioans like Marcy Kaptur will suddenly vault to much stronger positions in the House. Mark Urycki, 90.3.