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State senator throws hat in ring for Ohio House
(by Joan Demirjian - January 21, 2010)
State senator throws hat in ring for Ohio House
By JOAN DEMIRJIAN
State Sen. Timothy J. Grendell, R-Chester, said he would file petitions Jan. 21 to run for the 98th Ohio House District seat.
He is the latest candidate to announce an interest in the seat vacated by Matthew Dolan, who is planning to run for the new position of Cuyahoga County executive.
Bainbridge Township Trustee Matt Lynch also said he will be filing to run in the May primary for the 98th District seat as a Republican. "I'm looking forward to a vigorous campaign on the issue," he said. "I have challenged Mr. Grendell to a series of public debates throughout the 98th District."
Former Claridon Trustee Mary Briggs has filed for a place on the Democratic ballot in the primary.
Petitions for the May 4 primary are due Feb. 18, and the winners in the primary will advance to the November general election. The next two-year term begins in January 2011.
Mr. Grendell, who served four years in the Ohio House before being elected to the Ohio Senate, said he cannot seek re-election to the Senate because of term limits. His term ends in two years.
As a lame-duck senator, it is difficult to get things accomplished, he said. "I can be more effective in the House than as a lame-duck senator."
With Mr. Dolan's departure from the House before his term is up, Republican Party representatives are preparing to appoint someone to fill the seat through the end of this year.
Mr. Grendell said he will not seek that appointment. "I don't want the appointment. I want to put the issues before the voters and let them decide," he said.
He will serve this year in the Ohio Senate, and, if he's elected to the House, someone will be appointed to fill the Senate seat.
There were reports that his son had taken out petitions for the seat. However, Mr. Grendell said his son is planning to go to Tokyo, where he was accepted for an international law program. He is a second-year law student.
Mr. Grendell said he has no plans to run for Geauga County commissioner. "I support Commissioner Bill Young," he said.
He said he is seeking election to the Ohio House "so I can continue to fight for the residents of my home county, Geauga County, and my friends and constituents in Highland Heights, Mayfield Village, Gates Mills and Mayfield Heights."
The issues include tax relief, local control over oil- and gas-well drilling, reasonable household septic-system regulations and government restructuring and reform, he said.
"I believe I can be even more effective in representing my constituents as a refreshed state representative than as a lame-duck state senator," he said.
As a member of the Ohio Legislature, Mr. Grendell said he obtained passage of laws that eliminated the cost of E-check for vehicle owners in Northeastern Ohio, protected maple-syrup production in Geauga County, strengthened Ohio's drunken-driving laws and provided for medical malpractice and tort reforms.
He led legislative efforts to reduce state spending and state taxes and reform the Ohio's workers' compensation system, he said.
As state legislator, Mr. Grendell sponsored two Ohio constitutional amendments that were passed by Ohio voters. One amendment protects private property rights. The other one provides a bonus for Ohio veterans who served in the Gulf War, Iraq or Afghanistan.
Mr. Grendell, who served on active duty as a captain in the U.S. Army for 4 1/2 years, is married to Judge Diane Grendell, of the 11th District Court of Appeals.
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