Setting the Scene

Ohio’s 18^th congressional district offers one of the most exciting races for the 2010 midterm election cycle. The race pits two-time Democratic congressman Zack Space against challenger Robert Gibbs, a member of the Ohio legislature since 2003.[1] [2]

For those not familiar with Ohio’s 18^th, the district stretches from just south of Canton all the way down to Chillichothe, south of Columbus. The largest cities in the district are Mt. Vernon, Newark, Zanesville, and Chillicothe. The district is an overwhelming 95.3% white demographically, and has a median income of $40,836, about $11,000 below the national average, and a rate of 12.5% of residents having achieved a bachelor’s degree, less than half the national average.[3]

Since the 1994 Republican takeover of the house, this had been the district of Bob Ney, the now-disgraced image of Republican corruption who resigned during the 2006 midterm election. Space rode the national tidal wave of support for Democrats coupled with local resentment at the Republican party after Bob Ney’s involvement with lobbyist Jack Abramoff to a crushing 62% victory over Ney’s replacement, Joy Padgett.[4] Space, a former attorney from Dover, Ohio, a small town south of Canton, now finds himself in his toughest race yet.

Bob Gibbs hails from Lakeville, OH, a town near Wooster, and has been a resident of Holmes county for 24 years.[5] While Space was not challenged in a primary race, Gibbs was not as lucky, facing seven challengers in the Republican primary. Gibbs beat his closest challenger by a close 160 votes with a mere 21% of the vote held on May 4^th.[6] To this point, Space has raised almost $1.3 million to Gibbs’ $200,000.[7]

The issue that will dominate discussion in this race is job prospects and economic policy. Voters are already starting to duke it out in letters to the editor, while Gibbs has made economic policy the centerpiece of public statements.[8] [9] On their respective campaign websites, Space tacitly endorses the stimulus package while emphasizing tax breaks for small businesses and his blue dog, former business-owner credentials while Gibbs rails against spending in Washington. [10] [11]

At this time, the New York Times’ “fivethirtyeight” model gives Space a 56% chance of victory and rate this race as “leaning democratic.”[12] While Space seems to have the advantage in this race through incumbent status and a massive funding edge, he has only been able to hold onto his place in the district with a strong blue dog image. This could be the year that the Republican party can finally blot Bob Ney from the public memory and retake this conservative district.

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[1] "Congress.org - Bio : Rep. Zack Space (D-Ohio) Biography." Congress.org - Get Informed, Get Involved. Web. 24 Sept. 2010. <http://congress.org/congressorg/bio/id/51154>.

[2] "Senator Bob Gibbs (R) - District 22." Welcome to The Ohio Senate. 24 Sept. 2010. Web. 24 Sept. 2010. <http://www.ohiosenate.gov/bob-gibbs.html>.

[3] "Ohio 18th District Race Profile - Election 2010 - The New York Times." House Races - Election 2010 - The New York Times. Web. 24 Sept. 2010. <http://elections.nytimes.com/2010/house/ohio/18>.

[4] Ibid.

[5] <ohiosenate.gov>

[6] <nytimes.com>

[7] "Campaign 2010: Congressional Races (washingtonpost.com)." Washingtonpost.com - Nation, World, Technology and Washington Area News and Headlines. Web. 24 Sept. 2010. <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/politics/2010-race-maps/house/>.

[8] Hills, Pamela R. "Zack Space Is Fighting to Bring Jobs Back to Ohio." Newarkadvocate.com. Newark Advocate, 22 Sept. 2010. Web. 24 Sept. 2010. <http://www.newarkadvocate.com/article/20100922/OPINION03/9220313>.

[9] "Gibbs: We Cannot Spend Ourselves Into Prosperity." News, Sports, Jobs - The Intelligencer / Wheeling News-Register. Web. 24 Sept. 2010. <http://www.theintelligencer.net/page/content.detail/id/541837.html?nav=515>.

[10] "Congressman Zack Space : Economic Recovery." Congressman Zack Space : Home. Web. 24 Sept. 2010. <http://space.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=96&sectiontree=6,96>.

[11] "Bob Gibbs for Congress - Issues." Bob Gibbs for Congress - Home. Web. 24 Sept. 2010. <http://www.bobgibbsforcongress.com/issues>.

[12] <nytimes.com>