State senator announces interest in head position

The original heir apparent to the position has withdrawn.
BY JEFF ORTEGA
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
COLUMBUS -- State Sen. Bill M. Harris, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, has thrown his hat into the ring to be considered for Ohio Senate president next year, assuming the GOP maintains its majority.
Tuesday's announcement by Harris, an Ashland County Republican, comes in the wake of last week's announcement that Sen. Jeff Jacobson, a suburban Dayton Republican and the former heir apparent to succeed Senate President Doug White, R-Manchester, next year will not seek the top Senate job.
Jacobson withdrew his name from consideration, saying that questions having emerged after publicized links between him and two GOP political operatives under federal and state investigation over allegations of campaign-finance irregularities will make it difficult for him to lead.
Harris said he believed that the time was right for him to try to become the leader of the Senate.
Harris, 69, is in his first elected four-year term. He was appointed to his Senate seat in 2000 and was elected in November 2000 to finish the remaining two years of the term of former Sen. Dick Schafrath who resigned to take a position in the Ohio Department of Health.
Harris was elected to his first full Senate term in 2002. Before serving in the Senate, Harris served in the Ohio House of Representatives.
Competition
Sen. Randall Gardner, a Bowling Green Republican who also is believed to be interested in succeeding White of Adams County, traveled Monday to meet with Harris, who is recovering from having replacement surgery on both of his knees.
Harris said he told Gardner of his interest in the Senate presidency. Harris described the meeting as & quot;cordial. & quot; Gardner couldn't be reached Tuesday to comment.