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Home > Blogs > Ohio politics > Archives > 2008 > November > 18
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Armond Budish to be next Ohio House Speaker
Armond Budish, 55, a lawyer from the Cleveland suburb of Beachwood, is in line to become the first Democratic Ohio House speaker since 1994.
House Democrats on Tuesday, Nov. 18, chose Budish as their leader, paving the way for his elevation to speaker when the new legislature convenes in January.
“I am proud and humbled to lead our caucus into the next General Assembly as we continue the work to turn around Ohio,” Budish (pictured) said in a press release.
“We partnered with Governor Strickland over the past two years to lay the groundwork for positive change.” He pledged to work with Republicans and Democrats to help Ohio.
“I think he will be an excellent speaker,” said veteran state Rep. Bob Hagan, D-Youngstown, one of the few Democrats who previously served in the majority.
“He reaches out to all the members, both older and new.”
Budish will replace Rep. Jon Husted, R-Kettering as speaker. Husted was term limited in the House and has been elected to the state Senate. There are no Dayton area members in the new House majority leadership.
Democrats won control of the House on Nov. 4 and will have a majority of at least 51-48, pending final vote tallies that could expand the majority to 53-46.
Other members of the Democratic leadership team: speaker pro tem, Matt Szollosi, Oregon; majority floor leader, Jennifer Garrison, Marietta; assistant majority floor leader, Tracy Maxwell Heard, Columbus; majority whip, Jay Goyal, Mansfield and assistant majority whip, Allan Sayre, Dover.
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Local legislators still taking calls for inauguration tickets despite high demand
Millions of people are expected to attend the presidential inauguration of Barack Obama on Jan. 20 in Washington and most lawmakers have already received more requests for tickets than they can handle.
An article in the Tuesday’s Washington Post said officials are bracing for up to 4 million to attend the event.
“We’ve been swamped with calls, said Garrette Silverman, press secretary for U.S. Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio.
Megan Dubyak, press secretary for U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, said Brown’s office has received requests for 20,000 tickets.
“We’re still taking requests and the fastest way to request tickets is going through our Web site at www.brown.senate.gov,” Dubyak said.
Jessica Towhey, press secretary to U.S. Rep. John Boehner, R-West Chester, said Boehner’s office has received about 1,500 ticket requests. There have been more than 2,000 requests submitted to the office of U.S. Rep. Michael Turner, R-Centerville.
House offices are being limited to 198 tickets apiece and most had stopped taking requests. Senate offices were expecting up to 400 tickets each. Legitimate tickets are only available from members of Congress.
Sarah Perkins, press secretary for retiring U.S. Rep. David Hobson, R-Springfield, said people can still get on their list for tickets. Hobson’s office will give the list to incoming representative Steve Austria’s office in early January.
The tickets are for the spaces closest to the Capitol. Tickets will not be required for access to the rest of the National Mall and the parade route. Since the Mall is 300 acres, large screens will show the ceremony for those too far from the stage.
Jen Diener of AAA Miami Valley says there is a package deal available for those wishing to attend the inauguration. The package includes transportation from Dayton and two-night hotel accommodations. The buses will leave Dayton on Jan. 19. and prices range from $550-$850 per person. The AAA package does not include tickets to the swearing in. People still must get those through legislative offices.
For information and reservations for the AAA package, call 937-224-2888.
Offices to call for ticket info:
U.S. Sen. Brown: (888) 896-6446
U.S. Sen. Voinovich:(202) 224-3353
U.S. Rep. Turner: (937) 225-2843
U.S. Rep. Boehner: (800) 582-1001
U.S. Rep. Hobson: (937) 325-0474
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Faber wins Ohio Senate leadership post
Celina’s Keith Faber may help fill some of the power shortage the Dayton area will face next year in the Ohio legislature.
Senate Republicans on Tuesday, Nov. 18, chose Faber for the number three leadership post, majority floor leader. Faber (pictured) will join Senate President Bill Harris, R-Ashland, and Speaker Pro Tem Tom Niehaus, R-New Richmond who will hold the top two spots.
Sen. Mark Wagoner, R-Ottawa Hills, will fill the number four leadership spot, majority whip.
Celina isn’t right next door to Dayton but Faber’s Senate district includes Allen, Champaign, Darke, Mercer, Shelby and portions of Auglaize and Preble counties.
Next year the Dayton area will have fewer members in top leadership spots in the House and Senate.
House Speaker Jon Husted, R-Kettering, and House Speaker Pro Tem Kevin DeWine, R-Fairborn, will be gone from the House due to term limits.
Jeff Jacobson already has resigned from the Senate where he held the number two spot, president pro tem. Husted will take Jacobson’s Senate seat but won’t have a leadership spot.
Faber is an attorney who continues to maintain a private practice. He and his wife, Andrea, live in Celina with their two young children.
Republicans will continue to control the Senate, 21-12.
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Peggy Lehner takes Ohio Senate seat
Republican Peggy Lehner proved she has a sense of humor after being sworn into the Ohio Senate on Tuesday, Nov. 18.
“I promise not to make my speech too long because my term might run out,” Lehner (pictured) said.
Lehner, a former Kettering city councilwoman, will serve through the end of the year to finish the term of Sen. Jeff Jacobson, R-Butler Twp., who resigned to become a public policy consultant.
In January Lehner will move to the Ohio House and current Ohio House Speaker Jon Husted, R-Kettering, will take the 6th District Senate seat.
Husted was elected to the Senate in November when Lehner won an election to the House in the district Husted now represents, the 37th.
