Ohio Sen-22: Fundraiser for Todd (D) Tonight

There will be a fundraiser tonight for Ohio Senate candidate Michael Todd (D-Medina) from 5:00 to 8:00 pm at the Cherokee Hills Golf Course in Valley City, Ohio. Senate Democratic Leader Teresa Fedor (D-Toledo) and State Sen. John Boccieri (D-New Middletown) are expected to be on hand.

Todd is an intriguing candidate. He is a township trustee and chairman of the board of trustees for Medina, Ohio, a heavily Republican area, and is the only Democrat on the board. He is able to do well with independents and cross-over voters because of his military background and his relatively conservative views on social issues. He was briefly an announced candidate for the 16th Ohio Congressional District seat held by Rep. Ralph Regula (R-Navarre), before stepping aside in favor of Boccieri. I interviewed Todd on the telephone last night and will be posting that shortly.

In the meantime, come on out and show your support for this promising candidate!

OH-16: Amstutz (R) to Run if Regula (R) Retires?

The Dispatch political blog Daily Briefing thinks it could happen, and suggests that this could be the explanation for why term-limited State Sen. Ron Amstutz (R-Wooster) was the only one not to co-sponsor a bill introduced by State Sen. John Boccieri (D-New Middleton) to ban job discrimination against veterans and those still serving in the military. Boccieri has already announced his intention to run for the seat. Rep. Ralph Regula (R-Navarre) is 82 and has served since 1974.

Meanwhile, township trustee and state party committee member Michael Todd (D-Medina) is preparing to run for the Ohio Senate seat that Amstutz will vacate. (Todd previously announced a bid for Rep. Regula's seat, later withdrawn). The GOP candidate could well be term-limited State Rep. Jim Carmichael (R-Wooster), one of just a few (three? four?) Republican incumbents to run unopposed for the Ohio House of Representatives in 2006.