Here we go again. Republicans are running into the same kind of trouble in Ohio, where they’re trying to find a successor to Bob Ney, that they have faced in Texas trying to replace Tom Delay.
Joy Padgett was handpicked by Ney and House Majority Leader John Boehner to run after Ney stepped down due to fallout from the Abramoff scandal.
The problem is that Padgett had already lost the GOP primary for Ohio lieutenant governor, and Ohio law prohibits a defeated primary candidate from running in the general election. Democrats had threatened to challenge Padgett’s eligibility but, after seven other Republicans entered the primary, decided it wasn’t worth the trouble.
Today the brother of one of Padgett’s primary opponents filed a complaint challenging her eligibility. The local election board will rule on the complaint Sunday morning.
Update: Did I mention that Padgett declared personal bankruptcy in June? Well, one of her Republican opponents has (and you thought things were tough among Dems in Connecticut). The recent filing follows the one last year for the business owned by Padgett and her husband. Someone want to ask Boehner what he was thinking in throwing his weight behind Padgett?
