Ohio Sen. Grendell may pass on House seat

State Sen. Tim Grendell is considering staying in Ohio’s Senate another two years, passing up the 98th District Ohio House seat he easily won.

Director  of Ohio Citizen Action’s Money in Politics Catherine Turcer spoke out against Grendell’s consideration of staying in the Senate.

“It takes a lot of gall to overlook the will of voters, just to say ‘Hey, I know better than all of those people who voted for me,’” Turcer told The Plain Dealer. “It’s kind of amazing isn’t it? Imagine treating the legislature like it’s your own personal game of musical chairs.”

Three Statehouse sources claimed Grendell only ran as a maneuver to get his wife, 11th District Court of Appeals Judge Diane Grendell, appointed as his successor; a claim Grendell denies.

“The sources said her appointment to the Senate was looking unlikely, so Grendell is now intent on staying put and hoping incoming House Speaker Bill Batchelder will get Judge Grendell—or a Republican that Sen. Grendell could beat in a 2012 primary—named to the House seat,” wrote Aaron Marshall of The Plain Dealer.

However, Grendell spoke with the Sun News about if he would recommend his wife to succeed him in the Senate.

“Yes, but I only have until December of this year to convince her,” Grendell said. “And the Republican caucus would have to agree to appoint her. But, I think we would make a good team that would benefit Northeast Ohio.”

Grendell said he would make a decision as soon as he is comfortable with a replacement, and he knew it was possible he could stay in the Senate.

“I have a duty to make sure that whoever fills the other seat shares the principles and values of the constituents who elected me to that seat,” he told The Columbus Dispatch.