OH House: New Faces in Seven Races

CORRECTED & NEWLY UPDATED: A check of new filings at the Ohio Secretary of State web site reveals new candidates in seven Ohio House races. Brent Gray (D-Cincinnati) will oppose incumbent James T. Raussen (R-Springdale) in the 28th District, where the last Democratic candidate garnered 46.84% of the vote. David Reilly (R-Uniontown) will run for the 43rd District seat being vacated by Mary Taylor (R-Uniontown) to run for Auditor. John Johnson (D-Massillon) will take on incumbent John P. Hagan (R-Alliance) in the 50th District, against whom the last Democratic adversary won 41.88% of the vote. Lee Strad (R-East Sparta) will oppose Hagan in the Republican primary there. Eric Waldrop (R-Canton) will oppose incumbent William J. Healy II (D-Canton) in the 52nd District, where Healy raked in 71.04% of the vote in 2004. Jeff Ruppert (D-Franklin) will run for the 67th District seat being vacated by Tom Raga (R-Mason) to run for Lieutenant Governor as Ken Blackwell's running mate. Shannon Jones (R-Springsboro) will run on the Republican side there. Richard Spangler (D-Springfield) joins Kevin O'Neill (D-Springfield) as potential Democratic opponents to incumbent Ross McGregor (R-Springfield) in the 72nd District. Finally, William Hayes (R) has filed to run for the 91st District seat now held by Ron Hood (R-Ashville), apparently confirming the report that Hood is running for the 31st District Senate seat of term-limited Jay Hottinger (R-Newark), who in turn is said to be seeking the 71st District House seat of term-limited David R. Evans (R-Newark). (Got all that?) The Democratic contender for Hood's 91st District seat is Dan Dodd (D), who received 47.36% of the vote in 2004.