Hood aims to return to politics

Ron Hood could return to the state Legislature four years after being unseated.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
Former state Rep. Ron Hood, who represented rural parts of Mahoning County in the state Legislature for six years, is attempting a political comeback.
But not around here.
Hood, formerly of Canfield, moved about a year ago to the Licking County community of Ashville, located in central Ohio, and defeated three other candidates in the Republican primary for the 91st Ohio House District seat in March. The seat is held by House Speaker Larry Householder, who cannot run for re-election because of the state's term limits law.
Running for a fourth term in 2000 in the old 57th Ohio House District, Hood lost a close and expensive race to Democrat John A. Boccieri of New Middletown, a political newcomer at the time.
His positions
Repeated attempts to contact Hood were unsuccessful. But on his Web site -- www.ronhood.net/ -- Hood, who works as the communications director for the National Right to Work Committee, outlines his positions on issues; the same positions he had during his six years in the House.
Hood states that opposes abortion, is pro-Second Amendment and an opponent of "compulsory unionism." While in the House, he sponsored several amendments curtailing forced unionism, sponsored legislation to repeal the state's prevailing wage law, and introduced a bill to make Ohio a right-to-work state. None passed, but because of his positions, organized labor targeted him in the 2000 election.
Hood also sponsored a bill to allow citizens to carrying a concealed firearm for any reason, except to commit a crime, and without a government-issued license. Hood opposed every state budget "on the grounds that state government spending is too high and much too bloated," according to his Web site.
Opinions
Dan Dodd, a Buckeye Lake attorney who was a Republican until 2002, is the Democratic nominee for the 91st District, which is 55 percent Republican.
The 91st District --consisting of all of Perry and Hocking counties and portions of Licking and Pickaway counties -- is a rural, socially conservative area with much coal mining, said Dodd, who was shocked that Hood won the Republican primary.
"I'm not going to underestimate him," Dodd said. "That's what happened in the primary."
Fred C. Hawk of Logan, a former eight-year Hocking County commissioner, was considered the front-runner in the four-person Republican primary in March. Hood received 4,076 votes, 35.7 percent, with Hawk finishing second with 3,741 votes, 32.8 percent.
Hawk said he likes Dodd and Hood but would not endorse his fellow Republican in next month's general election. Hood's anti-union position "will hurt him a bit," Hawk said.
skolnick@vindy.com