Contested OH-15 Gets GOP Contender Today

UPDATE: 11.55 am -- I just got off the telephone with Sen. Stivers a few minutes ago regarding his announcement, set for 2:30 pm this afternoon, to run for Congress. During our conversation I asked point blank his position on two important citizen safety bills in the Ohio Statehouse. I knew the answers ahead of time, but wanted to make sure it was on the record. He is a co-sponsor on Sen. Buehrer's "No Duty To Retreat/Castle Doctrine" bill, and he strongly supports the bill to prohibit the confiscation of firearms from law abiding citizens during a state of emergency.

The Ohio 15th. That is how politicos describe ground zero of what may be the nation's most hotly contested congressional race one year from now.

Today, state Sen. Steve Stivers, a republican, will announce he plans to run for the seat being vacated by Rep. Deborah Pryce. His challenger will surely be Mary Jo Kilroy, a firearms owner's worst nightmare. Pryce squeaked by in her last re-election bid, defeating Kilroy by a mere 1,066 votes in a race that was not decided until several weeks after the election. The GOP has had a tough time getting someone to take on Kilroy, who has ammassed a significant campaign war chest.

Here is my take on these two:

Stivers has been generally pro-gun. He voted for HB12, the bill that restored lawful concealed carry after a more than 100 year prohibition. Unfortunately, he voted against the statewide general law putting all firearms regulations in the hands of state lawmakers. Though he supported the main purpose of that legislation (fixing the problematic car carry rules and prohibiting cities from abusing their Home Rule powers to score political points by passing unnecessary gun bans), his concern was over a narrow, gray area on whether municipalities would still have the rights under zoning laws to dictate that a gun store cannot be near a school, or near a church. Because it was not defined, he reluctantly voted against the bill. He does support several other citizen safety bills now currently before the Ohio General Assembly. He also understands national security issues being a "boots on the ground" vet, and having led troops in Iraq as a member of the Ohio Army National Guard where he has served for more than 20 years. Currently on inactive status, he holds the rank of Lt. Col., and is a recipient of the Bronze Star.

I'm not sure how to do this other than to just come out and say it: I am being charitable when I describe Kilroy as a Marxist. Much like a national presidential candidate who in public seemingly is sweet, charming and showing how smart she is, Kilroy is outwardly sharp. Behind the scenes, however, stories of her temper are legendary. Her ideas about government, property, and firearms rights are on the fringe of the political Left. She and her supporters still are claiming that the election in which she challenged Pryce was stolen. Its interesting that when the most left leaning politicians win, it is because the system works. If they lose, they play the "election theft card."

She has few friends in the county buildings either. I have talked to law enforcement officers in the Franklin County government buildings who were split on Kilroy, a former member of both the Columbus Schools Board and Columbus City Council, currently is a member of the Franklin County Board of Commissioners. The potential for her leaving to assume a congressional seat created quite a stir during the last election and likely will do so again. At the time, about half said they will be glad to see her leave the halls of the FC Administration Building; the other half say they really don't want Central Ohio to be responsible for sending her to inflict her views upon the nation. I guess sending sheriffs deputies to pick up your dry-cleaning or be your personal chauffeur is not a way to make friends and influence people.

Fifteenth District voters will have a clear choice next November. Pryce was never very friendly on the gun issue. She accepted a significant amount of pro-firearms PAC money to get elected, then turned her back on those who made a huge difference in getting her elected in the first place. In her last election, she extended an olive branch to firearms owners in her district, saying that she realized she had made a mistake. Many gun owners voted for her, some "holding their nose" while they did it. Others voted with her to keep Kilroy out. Still more sat out this particular race, choosing not to vote at all. This time, she says needs to be focused on her young, adopted child. Pryce also has implied she did not receive a lot of enncouragement to run again. But without a doubt, firearms owners helped her edge past Kilroy in her final election.

Kilroy has made her voice known on firearms issues, and they are not noises you want to hear. But you need to if you are a thinking voter, particularly a voter who owns a firearm. We will bring you more data on this in the coming months. Stivers needs to stand tough on the Second Amendment, for it will bring him votes in this district, which spans much of western Franklin County and most of Madison County in Ohio.

This will be a race, once more, that is watched around the nation. And Ready Line readers who reside in Ohio's capital city will have a front row seat.