Sources confirm resignation of U.S. Rep. LaTourette

Staff/wire report

WASHINGTON, D.C.

A congressional official says U.S. Rep. Steven LaTourette, a nine-term Republican congressman, will announce today that he will quit his race for re-election.

Also, sources confirmed LaTourette’s resignation to The Columbus Dispatch, which first reported the news, as well as the Associated Press and The Plain Dealer in Cleveland.

Deborah Setliff, LaTourette’s spokeswoman, would say Monday night only that the congressman will make an announcement at 10 a.m. today in his district office in Painesville.

The congressional official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the person isn’t authorized to publicly talk about LaTourette’s decision, said, “This has been in the works for some time.”

The source confirmed The Dispatch’s report that LaTourette of Bainbridge, R-14th,is quitting over a dispute with leadership on committee assignments.

The congressional official said LaTourette, a moderate Republican, wanted to leave the Appropriations Committee, after being appointed to serve on it in 2009, to be chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. LaTourette was a 14-year member of the transportation committee before leaving for appropriations.

Republican leadership rejected LaTourette’s request, thus prompting his decision to retire just three months before the Nov. 6 election, the congressional official said.

LaTourette’s seven- county district includes seven northern townships in Trumbull County.

With redistricting, that will grow to 11 townships after the November election.

The final date for Republicans to replace LaTourette is Aug. 8. He could delay his official retirement notification until then to allow the GOP to avoid a special election and choose a replacement candidate.

Potential Republican replacements include Geauga County Juvenile Court Judge Tim Grendell and his wife, Judge Diane Grendell of the 11th District Court of Appeals. Both are former members of the Ohio General Assembly.

Dale Virgil Blanchard, who’s lost eight congressional races, is the Democratic nominee for this seat.

Also on the ballot is Libertarian David Macko and Green Party candidate Elaine Mastromatteo.