Ohio House 82nd: Pickens (D) Out After Arrest

As noted by Buckeye State Blog last night, the Akron Beacon Journal reports that a Democratic candidate for the Ohio House of Representatives, Navy veteran and bakery founder Willie Pickens (D-Marion), has dropped his campaign for the 82nd District seat of State Rep. Steve Reinhard (R-Bucyrus) following a bizarre episode in which an intoxicated Pickens impersonated an FBI agent in order to harrass and rob customers of a convenience store. Pickens was charged with two counts of robbery and three counts of abduction. The Cleveland Plain Dealer blog-like thing Openers adds that the Marion County Democratic Party asked Pickens to withdraw from the race, and Party Chairwoman Cathy Chaffin says she may try to replace Pickens on the ballot or find someone to run as an independent.