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Home > Blogs > Ohio politics > Archives > 2009 > April > 02 > Entry
Husted announces for secretary of state
With his wife Tina and their young daughter Katie, 2, at his side, state Sen. Jon Husted, R-Kettering, officially announced his candidacy for secretary of state in 2010.
“Ohio can and must do better,” Husted, a former Ohio House Speaker, said at the news conference at Ohio Republican Party headquarters in Columbus, today, April 2.
He outlined his candidacy earlier in a story in the Dayton Daily News.
Although Husted never has run for statewide office, he released a list of endorsements that showed he already has statewide support. Included were U.S. Sen. George Voinovich and seven of the eight Ohio Republican U.S. House members. Reps. Mike Turner, R-Centerville, and Steve Austria, R-Beavercreek, were on the list.
The only member who was not was U.S. House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-West Chester, and that endorsement is expected later.
Rep. Boehner is fully behind Husted and a formal endorsement will come later, said Jessica Towhey, Boehner’s spokeswoman.
For a list of endorsements, see www.hustedforohio.com.
Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern chided Husted for voting against the state’s $9.2 billion transportation budget on Wednesday, April 1 and also said the controversy over Husted’s residency will be an issue in the campaign.
“I think that’s going to haunt him,” said Redfern.
The Montgomery County Board of Elections deadlocked along party lines 2-2 on the residency issue on Feb. 25 and sent the case to Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner. At issue is whether Husted is a legal resident where he votes in Kettering. In a sworn statement, Husted said he lives in Kettering, is at his house weekly, but also spends time in Columbus at his wife’s house in Upper Arlington.
“I will win this argument,” he said.
Redfern also chided Husted for jumping into the race just three months after being sworn in to the Ohio Senate.
“Just weeks after he took the oath of office, Jon’s already grown tired of that job and he’s looking for another,” said Redfern.
Democratic Franklin County Commissioner Marilyn Brown already is running for secretary of state and Redfern said Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason is expected to get in.
Husted should have another supporter soon in his family. He said his wife is expecting another baby.
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By Joe Schmoe
April 5, 2009 7:49 PM | Link to this
For the consideration of the faithful regarding the candidacy of John “I live in Columbus, but vote in Dayton” Hustead for Secretary of State. Here’s an item from a conservative blog (John Husted is really bringing the Republican Party together:) : SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2009 Conservative GOP Base: ‘No’ to Husted Candidacy A growing number of conservative outlets are beginning to question and reject the Husted candidacy for Secretary of State. Among the more unsettling issues are as follows: Residency As our candidate for chief elections officer of the state, Husted should be above reproach relating to elections issues. However, we find him enmeshed in a serious challenge to his true residence. Based on the media accounts, one can conclude that Husted is not a resident of Montgomery County and will probably forfeit his senate seat. This is not a bona fide candidate for statewide office. His Questionable Party Connections Remember Ken Blackwell as Secretary of State? Husted would be Ken Blackwell, Part 2 or worse. Most activists in the know remember Blackwell’s statement that he didn’t even want to be Secretary of State during his campaign for a final term in 2002. His eyes were on higher office. Just recently elected to the Ohio Senate , Husted has already fallen into the same political pattern. Isn’t it time to have someone that wants to be Secretary of State? Another issue is Husted’s connections to toxic party bosses such as Alex Arshinkoff, the disgraced former BOE member in Summit County removed for abuse of power and incompetence among other issues. Do we really want a Secretary of State that will turn our elections system over to relics like Boss Arshinkoff? No Platform for Change, Reform, and Links to Failed Past What is Husted’s platform to reform Ohio’s convoluted elections process? There isn’t one. All he’s concerned with is tweaking the makeup of the Apportionment Board. Where is his plan to remove party bosses from running the county BOE’s? Where is his plan to end true and already-existing voter fraud by permitting the homeless to register from park benches or trees? Where is his proposal to prevent a Secretary of State from running for another office in- term? What will he do to return public confidence in the elections process other than returning it into the hands of the same people that destroyed it in the first place? These are issues that matter not some political gibberish to cover his true ambition to seek higher office. Lastly, why are we backing the candidate that led to the loss of the Ohio House in Republican-drawn districts? Husted shouldn’t be rewarded for trimming the efforts of house candidates in 2008 by having held back hundreds of thousands in money for his own future bid for office, while we struggled to hold onto our majority. Husted has amassed a large, expansive list of supporters within the GOP. So what? If the candidate doesn’t have the issues, ethics, or the confidence of the electorate, all that means nothing. If the party chooses to nominate Husted regardless, it does so at its own risk. They have been warned. Posted by MalcontentBy Mikey
April 4, 2009 9:40 PM | Link to this
Hustod has the endorsement of Montgomery County Chairman Greg Gantt. It’s over John, he lost all county races in 08 save 1. p.s. hq is broke too.By jonboy Whosted
April 4, 2009 8:51 PM | Link to this
Oh, and another little tasty morsel from the John Husted juggernaut: He was Speaker of the House when Republicans lost the majority!By jonboy Whosted
April 2, 2009 8:18 PM | Link to this
John Husted for secretary of state? As a politician who lives in Columbus, but votes in Dayton, John knows firsthand about voter fraud and how to perpetrate it.By directionalchallenged
April 2, 2009 5:48 PM | Link to this
Directionallty Challenged I am sio bad with directions that I can’t tell the difference between Kettering and Columbus. But I am thinking of finding a support group of people of people who can’t find there way out of a paper bag. You can give them directions but they still seem to get lost. Not knowing where my driveway is maybe the Secretary of States office will have access to a decent road map.By observer
April 2, 2009 2:41 PM | Link to this
Well…at least he will not have to continue pretending that he is a Kettering resident…no vote from me here……he is really just running to protect the declining Republican influence on elections…By localguy
April 2, 2009 12:06 PM | Link to this
He won’t get this Republican vote.By Dave
April 2, 2009 11:56 AM | Link to this
He should be a shoe-in. After all, look at the wonderful job he did with school funding — what did you say? He ignored that constitutional problem year after year? You mean he’s just another cheap politician, taking care of his friends and ignoring his duty?