ARCHBOLD WEATHER

Fulton County To Lose Goodwin As State Rep.






Sources: Public Utilities Commission of Ohio and Ohio Apportionment Board

Sources: Public Utilities Commission of Ohio and Ohio Apportionment Board

Bruce Goodwin is out. Barbara Sears and Lynn Wachtmann are in.

Under the redistricting plan for the Ohio House of Representatives, Fulton County loses Goodwin (R-Defiance) as state representative.

The county is then split, with Wachtmann (R-Napoleon) gaining the southeastern corner of Fulton County. The remaining three quarters will fall under the representation of Sears (R-Monclova Township).

Law requires that following the decennial U.S. Census, maps for the state House of Representatives and U.S. Congress be redrawn to reflect changes in population.

However, sometimes redistricting plans are used by the party in the majority to strengthen or solidify its political power, or to punish or reward members of its own party.

That, Goodwin said, appears to be what happened to him.

“I’m not happy about it,” he said.

“I’ve enjoyed representing the people of Fulton and Williams counties.”

Punishment

Under the current proposed redistricting map, Goodwin’s 74th House Dis- trict, which covers Fulton, Williams, and the majority of Defiance County, is shifted south, to include Defiance, Paulding, Van Wert, and part of Auglaize counties. It is renamed to become the 82nd District.

The proposed map, which is backed by Republican Party leadership, has about a 1% chance of not passing, he said.

Goodwin said he had a call from William G. Batchelder, Speaker of the Ohio House, (R-Medina), who told him the map will be passed.

Goodwin agreed that the change in his district was punishment for opposing the plan of John Kasich, Ohio governor (R), to privatize the Ohio Turnpike.

“That’s the feeling I have,” he said.

Goodwin, who was an exoffi cio member of the Turnpike Commission, resigned from his post June 28 in protest of the privatization plan.

By shifting his district to the south, Goodwin is away from Fulton and Williams counties, which he called “the turnpike counties.”

State representatives can serve up to eight years, in four two-year terms, under Ohio term limit laws. Goodwin is in his fifth year.

Goodwin said the redistricting plan means as he gets ready to start his final two-year term, he might face a serious primary and/or general election challenge in two counties, Van Wert and Auglaize, where he has never run before.

Goodwin does have some name recognition in Paulding and Van Wert counties.

In December 2010, when Stephen Buehrer resigned his Ohio Senate seat to take over the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation, Goodwin sought the appointment to fill the post.

Goodwin was endorsed by the Republican parties of Paulding and Van Wert counties, but Cliff Hite (RFindlay) was chosen to occupy the Senate seat.

Sears

Sears, who grew up in Sylvania, operates a firm specializing in employee benefi ts and financial planning in addition to being a state representative.

She said she is familiar with Fulton County. She will meet with business and other groups when the redistricting map is passed.

“I’ve already got something set up with Farm Bureau,” she said.

Her 46th House District covers western Lucas County, which, she said, “has a fair amount of farms in the townships.

“I’ve had the endorsement of the Ohio Farm Bureau both times I ran in the state,” she said.

She said she has a lot more to learn about the business of farming, “but I’m a quick study.”

She said she will work with Wachtmann on issues facing the region.

“I see us tag teaming a lot together.”

Her 46th District will be renamed the 47th.

Not Punished

Sears said she didn’t think Goodwin was being punished by the GOP leadership.

“I have not heard anything about it (punishing Goodwin), and I’m in the loop. I would have known,” she said.

Drawing new house districts is a complicated process, she said.

Extending her district west into Fulton County made sense, because she already has represented agricultural interests.

Run?

With the prospect of a diffi cult and possibly expensive reelection bid for just another two years in office, will Goodwin consider not seeking reelection?

“It’s something I need to think about,” he said.

“I don’t like to get the feeling that I’ve been pushed around.”

He said he needs to get to his new counties and talk to the people there and “get their input.”


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