Blackwell Ends Senate Speculation

J. Kenneth Blackwell -- the former GOP treasurer, secretary of state and 2006 gubernatorial candidates -- just announced on Twitter he won't run for the seat now held by Democrat Sherrod Brown. "After three months of quietly talking with my family, friends, political strategists, donors and two men who have expressed a strong interest in this Senate seat, I have decided to end my active consideration of a run for the U.S. Senate," he told Ken Lewis of dailycaller.com. "I believe it is unfair to the conservative objective of defeated Sherrod Brown to stretch out my decision making process any further." Blackwell listed four reasons for deciding against a run: 1. Running would require me to make 'nice' with folks with whom I would rather not. 2. After serving as mayor, state treasurer, and secretary of state, I much prefer executive office over a legislative office. 3. Since I have always said that I would not personally engage in campaigning for elective office past age seventy, I could not and would not run for re-election if successful this time. I believe to get done what needs to be done in the U.S. Senate, the next senator needs to make a two-term commitment. I cannot. 4. The encouragement and commitment I received from movement conservatives and donors in Ohio and from across the country were substantial, and a source of political strength that the GOP establishment has never been able to grasp. Blackwell's departure apparently leaves the GOP field to state Treasurer Josh Mandel and former state Sen. Kevin Coughlin.