OH-12: Brooks Will Challenge Tiberi

[ccharles000]

It looks like pesky GOP Rep. Pat Tiberi is about to face his most legit challenger in years. From the Columbus Dispatch:

Democratic Franklin County Commissioner Paula Brooks said today she will challenge Rep. Pat Tiberi of Genoa Township in next year's congressional election.

Brooks' decision to run for Congress sets up what could be the toughest race Tiberi has faced since his 2000 election in the 12th Congressional District. Brooks, 56, has twice won voter approval across Franklin County, including an easy re-election last year.

In a Dispatch telephone interview today, Brooks said she has a "burning desire'' to get the country "through these tough times. Frankly, people in the district say they are disappointed in the current member and they want a fresh approach to tackling these tough problems.''

Brooks said that Gov. Ted Strickland and Mayor Michael B. Coleman have both pledged to support her effort to unseat Tiberi. She said the major issues would be "jobs, health care, and our military families and security.''

Brooks, as you may recall, briefly ran for Franklin County's other congressional seat (OH-15) last cycle, before deferring to Mary Jo Kilroy. Now she's back for a crack at the 12th, a district that was hand-carved for the GOP during redistricting, but has since shifted in the Dem direction. Bush won this CD by 52-46 in 2000, but that margin tightened to 51-49 four years later. Obama finally blew the doors open last year, by winning the district by a 53-46 spread according to SSP's analysis of the precinct returns.

However, Tiberi has been a tough candidate to beat; octogenarian and ex-Rep. Bob Shamansky put up a valiant effort in 2006, but Tiberi smashed the old man with a 16-point romp. Even as Obama turned this district blue last year, Tiberi cruised to a 55-42 victory over underfunded Democrat Mike Robinson. Still, Brooks will definitely bring a stronger profile to this race than either Shamansky or Robinson could offer. Her most glaring weakness? She lives just "eight minutes" outside of the 12th CD's border.

http://www.swingstateproject.com/diary/5379/oh12-brooks-will-challenge-tiberi

[InvisibleTouch]

1. Good! He is scum.

No longer "my" rep, but still scum. Hope she sends him packing!