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Ellen Belcher is the Dayton Daily News opinion pages editor. She writes about state government, education, the environment, higher education and all things Dayton.
Martin Gottlieb is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He focuses on the political process itself and does such national issues as war, the economy, taxes and Social Security, as well as a hodge-podge of local and state issues.
Scott Elliott is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He writes about education, city and suburban issues, politics, business, workforce and consumer issues.Home > Blogs > A Matter of Opinion > Archives > 2010 > December > 07 > Entry
Editorial: Twice elected, can Grendell pick a seat
Just when you think you’ve heard everything in the realm of politics, along comes state Sen. — or Rep. — Tim Grendell.
The rules about when politicians may leave an office to which they’ve been elected have never been strict. Often elected officials leave in the middle of a term for no reason other than their political convenience or that of their party. Generally neither side complains, because both political parties do it.
Nor does anybody complain even when a person seeks a term that everybody knows the candidate doesn’t plan to finish.
Witness the case of Republican Jon Husted running for a four-year term in the state Senate in 2008 when his intention was to seek statewide office in 2010. Consider also the recent retirements of two Democratic Montgomery County judges, A.J. Wagner and Judy King, who are leaving in time for the Democratic governor to name their replacements, before the new Republican governor comes into office.
But now comes Sen./Rep. Grendell to top them all with so distinctive a move it would probably be named after him, except that it’s so distinctive it might never happen again.
Representing Geauga and Lake counties and part of Cuyahoga in the state Senate, he ran in November for the Ohio House of Representatives. You can imagine the reason: term limits. He was still two years away from the eight-consecutive-years limit. But a House seat opened, and he decided the time was right if he wanted to extend his time in Columbus. He won.
Under Ohio’s preposterous rules, it’s up to Republicans in the Senate to name his replacement. (The law probably ought to be that if someone leaves on their own accord and they’re still breathing, the seat should go to the other party.)
Well, at a certain point, Sen. Grendell decided his Republican colleagues weren’t going to give the right person his job; he didn’t find the prospective candidates conservative enough.
There was talk that Sen. Grendell wanted his wife, a judge, whom he had once succeeded in the House, to get the job. But he denies that. At any rate, he decided not to leave the Senate after all.
That means the House has an opening to be filled by Republican party leaders there.
“Remember,” he said, “I was elected to both seats. Same voters.”
Apparently he thinks his election to the Senate in 2008 and the House in 2010 gives him his choice of jobs. Wrong. He is, of course, obliged to take the House job, period. It could be worse: Sen. Grendell could think he has the right to hold both jobs.
But nobody knows at this writing what his reaction will be to the selection of a replacement for him in the House. Maybe he will want both.
So a lesson has been learned: The next time an elected official in your community decides to run for another office, make absolutely sure to ask him whether he intends — no, make that promises — to vacate the first office.
Presumably, the people who voted for Sen. Grendell for the House thought he was going to leave the Senate.
Here’s the take-away: Never assume anything about politicians.
Permalink | Comments (17) | Post your comment | Categories: Editorials, Elections, Martin Gottlieb, Montgomery County, Ohio government, Ohio politics
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By kurt
December 7, 2010 6:45 AM | Link to this
Why isnt the DDN writing about Dumbama ordering the federal reserve to give almost 4 trillion to banks that supported his campaign. Not to mention foreign banks. Why? Folks wake up and get involved. The country is being destroyed by this little manchild, who has always hated it. Oh, about the above article, boring as hell.
By Ronald Reagan
December 7, 2010 6:59 AM | Link to this
Cry in your milk momma’s boy … just because it’s a Republican - no you may not have another Democrat in the House or Senate - the voters have spoken. No you may not play with your choo, choo either. Mommy and Daddy Government can’t let you have your way with everything. You might grow up spoiled like an elitist Democrat. Now put the newspaper back in the birdcage. That’s daddy’s big boy!
By Mitch
December 7, 2010 7:44 AM | Link to this
Good one Ronnie!
By FAM
December 7, 2010 8:53 AM | Link to this
Kurt & RR - no matter what the topic of the article your fanatical, biased views are so perdictable, that you might as well just sign in with just your screen name. You don’t need to add any comments, by now everyone knows where you stand, and that you never have any ideas or analysis of any substance.
By Mitch
December 7, 2010 10:53 AM | Link to this
@FAM: Your comments directed at Kurt & RR have the same tone and agenda that your fellow Marxist have - unless the media outlet is Left Wing (which most are - like the DNN). Freedom of speech is only supported by your ilk if it’s in agreement with “party standards.” Right comrade?
By Rich
December 7, 2010 10:55 AM | Link to this
I’m reminded of something Scott Brown said in Massachusetts during his successful Senate campaign: “With all due respect, it’s not the Kennedy’s seat, it’s not the Democrats’ seat, it’s the people’s seat.” In Ohio, it seems that ANY elected seat belongs to the officeholder and his/her party, NOT “the people”. Butler County has seen this trading of seats to evade term limits and maintain party control FAR too often. It should stop.
By FAM
December 7, 2010 1:15 PM | Link to this
Mitch - Your comments are consistent with Kurt & RR. You don’t address my issue, but like them, immediately resort to labels and name calling (i.e., Kurt’s derogatory misspelling of the President’s name, RR’s “momma’s boy” reference, and your Leftist/Marxist label). You distort my words to imply that I want to deny them free speech. I have to assume that all three of you have such an extreme bias, that you are incapable of objectively viewing an issue. I am saddened that you cannot view issues from more than one viewpoint. I hope someday you can get beyond the point where you are currently stuck.
By FAM
December 7, 2010 1:52 PM | Link to this
Rich - Thank you - you are the first one today to comment directly on the topic, and provide an interesting view of the issue. I wish there were more individuals willing and able to contibute comments that are based upon indepenent thought and not bias or doctrine.
By kurt
December 8, 2010 5:57 AM | Link to this
Get involved folks, the democrats want to take talk radio off of the air via the FCC, Fox news too by the way,-CONTROL-, crush you with taxes all though your life, and after your dead,CONTROL, take away your 2nd amendment rights,CONTROL, put cell phone jammers in every car and truck,CONTROL, order you to by a product, and imprison you if you refuse(health care), CONTROL, force you to pay for ineffective gov. schools to brainwash your kids into all things liberal,(CONTROL), Can’t eat a damn cheeseburger and fries,CONTROL,(Well, thats coming), must ride a bike, or take mass transit,CONTROL, use your money to insult Jesus Christ though NPR, and the arts, CONTROL,—WAKE UP AND GET INVOLVED FOLKS. The Marxist are in power and think and fully believe that the state—owns you and controls every facet of your life.
By Bill
December 8, 2010 8:50 AM | Link to this
I think more repugs than Democrats read the DDN. Give them something for their daily WHINE
By FAM
December 8, 2010 8:51 AM | Link to this
People listen to Kurt - the sky is falling, the sky is falling. It appears that what is truly out of CONTROL is Kurt’s Glen Beck guided imagination. And once again, Kurt and his clones are inserting comments that are totally unrelated to the topic.
By Ronald Reagan
December 8, 2010 9:32 AM | Link to this
@FAM If the issue to you is an offical elected to two posts simultainously and giving one up - Isn’t that what your idol BO did. Furthermore, the party owned the seat (literaly) and Bago tried to sell it to the hisest bidder. What’s new. When the shoe is on the other foot it’s “Sore-Looserman” all over again. Is that a good enough discourse for you or should I be sensored for telling the truth? I’ve conclued years ago that you can’t argue with a Donkey - you can only bread out the ignorance - MULE
By Ronald Reagan
December 8, 2010 9:47 AM | Link to this
Please excuse a couple of spelling errors - everybody makes mistakes - even those swing voters who choose BO. I must say though given the choice of McCain and that blithering idiot Palin - any democrat could have won. I voted for Ron Paul. I’m a RR conservative - that’s what this country needs again.
By Amazed
December 8, 2010 11:23 AM | Link to this
A little off the subject but anyone taking bets that Hillary will quit her job in the next year to run for president>?
By FAM
December 8, 2010 2:52 PM | Link to this
You guys just don’t quit. RR, in your response to me you immediately digressed into the President’s and the Ill governor’s actions, rather than staying on topic, and then you immediately regress into the derogetory names (i.e., sorelooserman, & Donkey). Your discourse is very good in demonstrating my point. Amazed, at least acknowledged that he was off the topic.By the way RR, the only thing harder to argue with than a Donkey is a closed mind.
By Ronald Reagan
December 8, 2010 3:27 PM | Link to this
@FAM - Closed mind - why do you think the Democrats picked the Jack A*s as their moniker? Bloody amazing.
By FAM
December 9, 2010 9:04 AM | Link to this
RR - Do you realize how shallow and superficial it is when you limit your comments to focusing on symbols like Donkeys & Elephants (Symbols made popular by a political cartoonist - T. Nast). Try, just once to make a comment that is based upon objective facts, and is not meant to be demeaning to others. You might enjoy the change.