The news just keeps getting worse for the Ohio Republican Party. First, Deborah Pryce announced her retirement, them their first choice, State Senator Steve Stivers declined, now, their backup, Jim Petro has said no, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer as brought to us by the Buskeye State Blog.
Northeast Ohio native and former Attorney General Jim Petro has ruled out a run for Congress, setting his sights instead on Ohio's next Supreme Court chief justice.
Party leaders, including House GOP leader John Boehner of Ohio, had urged Petro, a moderate Republican who ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2006, to run next year for a seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Deborah Pryce of suburban Columbus.
"I have had strong experience as a manager, a lawyer, and advocate in courts across the country, so I really do lean toward running for the Supreme Court in Ohio," he said. "If I run for Congress, win or lose, it would be really difficult to come back and run for chief justice."
Petro realized he carried too much baggage to have a prayer in what is thus far shaping up to be a blue year. And he realizes that he would be starting way behind Mary Jo Kilroy. The Republicans' last hope may be former Columbus Mayor Greg Lashutka who apparently has been out of local politics for a while. But like Bob Kerrey in Nebraska, I heard that he may be assisted by residual good will. At any rate, the seat is leaning more strong as a take over with every passing day. Add one more blue dot on Ohio.