Montgomery County GOP Endorses Candidates for Ohio House

I caught this tidbit in the Dayton Daily News:

[Kettering City Council Member Peggy] Lehner was endorsed Monday by the Montgomery County Republican Party's central committee to fill the 37th House district seat being vacated by Jon Husted, R-Kettering.

Peggy was a guest for an hour on the WMDtv cable access show a few years ago and I found her to be an able politican with plenty of smarts and skill. She should do well in that race. I would be proud to support her in this race.

UPDATE: Another article (H/T: Jill) has a few more names to add to the list:

The Montgomery County Republican Party's central committee endorsed Kettering Council Member Peggy Lehner for the seat, but former state Rep. Don Mottley and Miami Twp. Trustee Deborah Preston said they are considering running in the March primary. They have agreed that only one of them will run, avoiding a three-way race, but have not decided which of them will withdraw.

And in two other races:

The central committee also endorsed Huber Heights City Council Member Seth Morgan for the 36th House seat now held by state Rep. Arlene Setzer, R-Vandalia, and endorsed Washington Twp. Trustee Terry Blair for the 38th House seat being vacated by state Rep. John J. White, R-Kettering.

Morgan was selected over German Twp. Trustee Greg Hanahan, who is also Miami Twp. administrator.

Blair was chosen over financial planner Tom Young, the only candidate who came to the night's meeting having been recommended by a screening committee set up by Party Chairman Greg Gantt.

Dayton Daily News editor Ellen Belcher adds a few more details to the list of names reported earlier:

Jon Husted's successor (District 37)

• Peggy Lehner is familiar with local government issues because of her job on Kettering City Council. She's worked hard to become known as more than a pro-life advocate — that's how she got her start in public life. But if Roe v. Wade is ever reversed, she'll be under tremendous pressure to help lead the charge to outlaw abortion in Ohio.

• Don Mottley is smart, digs into complicated issues and is paying a price in the party because he and state Sen. Jeff Jacobson don't get along. Both men had to leave the House at the same time because of term limits and both wanted the Senate seat that Jacobson now has. Mottley is the only candidate running in the three contests who has legislative experience.

• Miami Twp. Trustee Deborah Preston has been itching to move up. While she's been waiting, she's been in the thick of development decisions at the Austin Road interchange. She is one of just three elected officials who gets to decide which developers will be helped or hurt by a pending agreement that allows for revenue sharing among several local governments. Some businesses will end up paying a city income tax even though they'll be in a township, and they're poised to fight that.

Arlene Setzer's successor (District 36)

• Seth Morgan, 31, notes on his Web site that he was re-elected to the Huber Heights City Council in a "landslide," and he asks friends to join the "Morgan Machine." He justifies that description on the basis that last year he got more votes in his district than GOP gubernatorial candidate Ken Blackwell. (He doesn't mention that Blackwell was stomped all across the state.)

• Greg Hanahan, a German Twp. trustee and the Miami Twp. administrator, has township connections galore.

John White's successor (District 38)

• Tom Young, a financial planner, is trying for this third office. He has run unsuccessfully for county treasurer and, in 2005, for Washington Twp. trustee; he has the unanimous support of the screening committee and Jacobson is pushing his candidacy.

• Washington Twp. Trustee Terry Blair feels he's been snubbed because he was elected multiple times for an office that Young lost. A small businessman, he thinks he has a nice combination of experience.

You might consider reading the whole thing. I actually don't care for her tone, but you have to admit that she's is somewhat justified due to what County Chairman Greg Gantt did...that sort of thing is exactly the sort of behavior that the Ohio GOP as a whole needs to knock off...