Pro-SB 5 State Senator Resigns; Avoids Facing Voters Next Year

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 24, 2011 Pro-SB 5 State Senator Resigns; Avoids Facing Voters Next Year Sen. Jimmy Stewart Called "Casualty" of Senate Bill 5 COLUMBUS—Tonight, the Ohio Democratic Party responded to the announcement that State Sen. Jimmy Stewart will resign from his seat. Stewart, who cast a deciding vote in favor of Senate Bill 5, faced a tough re-election next year. "Sen. Stewart must have seen the writing on the wall and decided he would rather leave the Senate than face the wrath of the voters next year," said Ohio Democratic Party Communications Director Seth Bringman. "His district's widespread, bipartisan opposition to Senate Bill 5 was a clear indication that he would not be re-elected." In rural Meigs County, 250 signatures to repeal Senate Bill 5 were collected on a single Saturday. In Athens County, a few young activists have collected nearly 1,500 signatures and are still going. 7 in 10 voters in Southeast Ohio would vote to repeal Senate Bill 5, according to the latest Quinnipiac Poll. Bringman continued, "It's unfortunate that Jimmy Stewart won't have to answer to the voters for his attacks on worker rights and worker safety, but many others will. John Kasich and extremist legislators will rue the day they defied the will of the people of Ohio. We have now seen the first casualty of the national Republican overreach of 2011. It won't be the last." On Twitter tonight, Jim Heath of the Ohio News Network declared, "SB 5 may have its first Republican casualty." -30- Make sure you receive news releases from the Ohio Democratic Party. Add press@ohiodems.org to your approved senders list. This email was sent to: terry.penrod@gmail.com. Click here to unsubscribe from email sent by the Ohio Democratic Party. Paid for and authorized by the Ohio Democratic Party, not authorized by any federal candidate or campaign committee. Chris Redfern, Chairman, 340 East Fulton St, Columbus, Ohio 43215. Powered by ARCOS | Design by Plus Three