Ohio: Bill Batchelder

Ted Strickland long ago painted himself into a corner.

In 2006, the Democratic governor, then a little-known congressman from southern Ohio, made the kind of campaign promise that often ends up slung tight around your neck. He boldly told anyone who would listen that he'd solve Ohio's intractable school-funding dilemma or he wouldn't be worth his salt as governor.

"I said that if this issue were not dealt with, regardless of whatever positive things I may achieve as governor, than I will consider myself a failure," Strickland has repeated to reporters since then.

Somewhere during the countless hours Strickland and his top folks spent debating exactly how to extract himself from said corner, they must have realized something.

A group of state Republicans, including Ohio House Minority Leader Bill Batchelder, on Tuesday offered Gov. Ted Strickland some unsolicited advice for addressing Ohio's economic downturn: shrink state government and eliminate jobs.

Batchelder, of Medina, was joined by former state attorney general Jim Petro, state Sen. Tim Grendell of Chester Township and Rep. John Adams, of Sidney. They delivered their message on the eve of Strickland's third, and maybe most important, State of the State address, with Ohio suffering through heavy job losses and record level home foreclosure rates.

The quartet suggested the Democratic governor's 24 cabinet level agencies blend into just 10 and the staffs of hundreds of state boards, commissions and councils be consolidated.

State Rep. William Batchelder (R-Mediana) was voted into minority leadership of the Ohio House of Representatives Thursday by the Republican Party.

In an interview with PolitickerOH.com Thursday afternoon, Batchelder said he was thrilled to be selected as leader.

"It's good to be back to leadership," Batchelder said. "But we've got a big challenge facing the next session."

Batchelder said that it was important for Republicans to stay true to their political roots.

Ohio Republican Party Chair Kevin DeWine issued a statement following the news that Ohio state Rep. Matt Dolan (R-Novelty) would not be seeking the position of minority leader in Ohio's House of Representatives.

The decision by Dolan leaves state Rep. Bill Batchelder (R-Medina) for the position. Batchelder served in the state legislature for 30 years between 1968 and 1998, before term-limits came to the general assembly. Batchedler returned to the Ohio House of Representatives in January 2007.