The Republican primary to challenge U.S. Rep. Zack Space, D-Dover, for Ohio's 18th Congressional district is filling out with state Sen. Bob Gibbs, R-Lakeville, the latest to join the fray.

Gibbs recently filed a statement of candidacy and a statement of organization with the Federal Election Commission to initiate the campaign, according to CQ Politics. In the GOP primary, Gibbs joins former Magistrate Judge Jeanette Moll from Zanesville, Licking County businessman Patrick Carlisle and Newark businessman Beau Bromberg.

National and local Republicans had previously lobbied state Sen. Jimmy Stewart, R-Albany, to run against Space in the 2010 election. In August, however, Stewart said he would not seek the seat.

The 18th District includes a long stretch of eastern and southeast Ohio, including the northern part of Athens County. Space hails from Tuscarawas County, south of Canton. Stewart actually lives in the 6th District and not the 18th. He didn't say whether this contributed to his decision not to run. Stewart also said he would not be running for the 6th District seat held by U.S. Rep. Charlie Wilson, D-St. Clairsville, which represents the rest of Athens County, including Athens, Albany and Nelsonville.

Gibbs said on a newly developed campaign Web site that he is "deeply concerned about the direction our country is heading" and that this is why he has decided to run for the office.

"At the same time our congressman is ignoring his constituents' views on important issues such as health care and cap-and-trade, our country is facing skyrocketing debt levels that will burden our children and grandchildren," Gibbs wrote. "This needs to change, NOW."

Gibbs said he would work toward responsible budgeting, help to lower the tax burden, and "strive to improve the business climate that will bring our economy back and provide jobs to Ohioans."

First elected to the Ohio House of Representatives in 2002, Gibbs served three two-year terms before being elected to the Ohio Senate in 2008 with 59 percent of the vote. Ohio's 22nd Senate District includes Holmes, Medina and Wayne counties and part of Ashland County. Gibbs is from Holmes County, which is the only one in his Senate district sitting in Ohio's 18th Congressional District. The other counties fall in the 16th Congressional District represented by John Boccieri, D-Alliance.

Republicans have been gunning to unseat Space since he won the seat in 2006 over Joy Padgett with 62 percent of the vote. Padgett replaced U.S. Rep. Bob Ney on the ballot that year after Ney resigned shortly before the election and pled guilty to conspiracy and making false statements in relation to the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal. In 2008, Space won reelection after beating former Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Fred Dailey, R-Mt. Vernon, with 59.87 percent of the vote.

Figures from the Federal Elections Commission show that Space had $819,381 in his campaign coffers as of June 30 for the race. Moll had $52,849, while none of her Republican primary opponents appears in the report for Ohio's 18th District.

Moll says on her Web site that she is running because there is a clear need for change in Washington. "From the ethics scandals in 2006 to Zack Space's continued gaffes, this district needs someone who will worry about the economy, spending, jobs, the war on terror and health care rather than getting re-elected, blindly following his party leadership or meeting with lobbyists or some special-interest groups," Moll wrote. "The only special interest to me is the people of eastern and southeastern Ohio."

Bromberg maintains that Congress is out of touch with everyday people. "Congress is full of career politicians and lawyers," he writes on his campaign Web site. "If we could just send a real person of the community, then maybe Congress would not be so out of touch with our needs... By sending ONE OF US to Congress, we will truly be for the people and by the people. Let's get Congress back to protecting our interest."



REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE Chair Michael Steele came to Zanesville last week, criticizing Space for his stance on the health-care issue, as well as his vote in June for the "cap-and-trade" energy bill that passed narrowly in the House.

Space has said that he worked on the energy bill to make sure it protects Ohio businesses while laying the groundwork for new jobs and lower prices for Ohio consumers. "From securing a future for Ohio coal to creating new opportunities for our steelworkers and our manufacturers, it is time we finally declare our energy independence, making our nation stronger, more prosperous, and more secure," Space said at the time of his vote.

The National Republican Congressional Committee went after Space for his vote, saying that the legislation would lead to higher energy costs for Ohioans.

"Whatever favors Zack Space might have traded for his support for [House Speaker] Nancy Pelosi's National Energy Tax, they hardly make up for the higher energy costs and lost jobs that will plague east Ohio as a result of Space's Washington horse trading," NRCC spokesperson Ken Spain said previously.

On health care, Space is one of the Blue Dog Democrats sitting on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which has primary responsibility to draft the health-care legislation in the House. Space and the others have raised concerns, leading to a sit-down at the White House with President Barack Obama.

Space said that an understanding reached as a result has alleviated the concerns of this group of Democrats.

In addition, Obama's health-care speech last week seemed designed to appeal to the Blue Dogs and moderates, rather than party liberals.

"Getting this bill done right is far more important than getting it done fast," Space said in a prepared release at the time. "The concessions I demanded from House leadership fix those concerns by exempting more small businesses from the coverage requirement, allowing hospitals to negotiate for reimbursement rates, and cutting costs."

The NRCC then slammed Space for approving what they called House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's health-care "takeover."

"Unsurprisingly, Zack Space has sided with his party's anti-jobs agenda rather than the families he claims to represent," said Spain. "Space may be basking in the praise of his party bosses for selling out Ohio families once again, but that's little consolation for the families who will bear the brunt of this egregious legislation."

In Ohio's 6th Congressional District, veterinarian Donald Allen, R-Youngstown, has filed against U.S. Rep. Wilson. Allen had $1,738 in cash as of June 30, while Wilson had $366,123.