Buckeye Firearms Assoc. on hand as Petro names Sen. Joy Padgett as running mate

Buckeye Firearms Association Legislative Chair Ken Hanson was on hand at the Statehouse Monday as current Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Jim Petro announced that state Sen. Joy Padgett, of Coshocton, will be his Republican running mate for governor.

The announcement was made in the Capitol atrium to a crowd of about 100 people, including numerous senators and representatives who were on hand to show their support. Both Petro and Padgett made brief, prepared statements then took questions from the media for approximately 15 minutes.

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A 2004 Buckeye Firearms Association endorsee, Sen. Padgett has been steadfast and tenacious in her defense of firearm rights and a friend to the sportsmen of Ohio for many years.

Joy Padgett, who served in the Ohio House from 1993-99, was one of the first Ohio legislators to introduce a concealed carry bill in Ohio, and co-sponsored the bill which eventually became Ohio's Concealed Carry Law. More recently, Senator Padgett href="http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/article2915.html">introduced SB252 in the Ohio Senate. This bill is companion legislation to HB347, the comprehensive firearms law reform bill currently in committee in the House of Representatives.

"Joy Padgett is experienced and well respected in both houses and on both sides of the aisle," Petro told supporters today. "I can think of no better person to be my right hand in moving our agenda through the General Assembly."

The Columbus Dispatch, in coverage of the announcement, quotes Padgett as saying "I'm in awe of having been asked by Jim. I'm extremely honored and I'm extremely excited and I'm looking forward to working with Jim as lieutenant governor."

Media coverage of the announcement is highlighting Padgett's pro-gun qualifications. The Dispatch notes Padgett "has strong credentials in support of Second Amendment gun rights, earning the highest rating from the National Rifle Association." And in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Padgett is described as "a Republican from rural southeastern Ohio who sponsored legislation allowing Ohioans to carry concealed handguns."

Petro had originally named pro-gun Hamilton County Commissioner Phil Heimlich as his running mate, but Heimlich recently left the ticket to run for reelection as a county commissioner in Cincinnati.

Petro's main primary opponent, Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, said Saturday that he plans to announce his running mate Wednesday. In various news reports, speculation has centered on state Rep. Tom Raga, of Mason, as Blackwell's choice. (Raga is a two-time endorsee of this political action committee.)

Last week, Strickland selected gun ban extremist Lee Fisher, of Cleveland, as his choice for lieutenant governor.