Setting their Seitz on the Senate

Who would turn down a chance at a part-time job that pays nearly $60,000 a year, offering oodles of perks, benefits and travel, not to mention instant popularity? Every qualified resident of Ohio’s state Senate District 8 except one, that’s who. Friday’s deadline to apply for appointment to the seat being vacated by Sen. Patricia Clancy, R-Colerain Township, passed with only one hopeful signing up for an interview. Actually, he’s a lot more than a hopeful. He’s state Rep. Bill Seitz, R-Green Township, and he’s a dead-lock certain pick to succeed Clancy, given that the powerful House majority whip says he’s running for that Senate seat next year anyway, and Republicans would much prefer for him to run as an incumbent.

It seems clear that Clancy was, uh, persuaded to make way for Seitz, who was ready to take her on in a bruising primary fight. But couldn’t some outsider have applied for the seat to at least make it interesting? It’s obvious that all too often the fix is in, and legislative appointments are made with little regard to what constituents might want.

Maybe that’s why so many are apathetic about the prospect of serving in public office. As the Enquirer reported last month, communities around our region are struggling to find enough candidates for local elective posts. In many cases, if you simply file for candidacy, you win the seat. Some find no candidates at all.

Next time a seat in Ohio’s legislature “suddenly” becomes available, I’d like to see, say, 1,000 or so district residents throw their hats in the ring, just so the party bigwigs would at least have to sort through the resumes and hold a few perfunctory job interviews. Meanwhile, Statehouse watchers are holding their breath to see who state GOP leaders will appoint to Clancy’s seat. Bill who?