Traficant out

July 6, 2010 at 10:00a.m.

Jim Traficant’s bid to return to Congress is over.

The Trumbull County Board of Elections disqualified Traficant this morning as a candidate for the 17th Congressional District seat because he did not have enough valid signatures on his nominating petitions.

The former congressman needed 2,199 valid signatures, but turned in only 2,092, 107 short.

The 17th District, now represented by U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, includes portions of Trumbull, Mahoning, Portage and Stark counties.

For more on this story, see Wednesday’s Vindicator or Vindy.com