The Ohio Elections Commission today dismissed a complaint filed by Cincinnati Tea Party founder Mike Wilson against his Republican primary opponent in the race for the 28th Ohio House District seat. Wilson had filed a complaint with the commission contesting statements used in a telephone poll recently conducted by Tom Weidman’s campaign.—-
Specifically, the poll noted that Wilson wasn’t a registered Republican and didn’t have a history of supporting Republican candidates. Wilson filed a complaint last week stating the statements were misleading.
In a 4-0 vote today, the Ohio Elections Commission dismissed Wilson’s complaint.
Weidman is president of the Sycamore Township Board of Trustees and has long been involved in various local GOP races. Most notably, he was campaign manager for Hamilton County Commissioner Phil Heimlich’s unsuccessful reelection bid in 2006.
“In response to a frivolous claim filed by my opponent, I appeared before the Ohio Elections Commission today and they confirmed by a 4-0 vote that Mike Wilson is not a registered Republican, and I will add that his record lacks evidence of support for Republicans,” Weidman said in a prepared statement.
“Voters need to know, especially in a primary, about their candidates, their party flag bearers, and they need to know that Mike has not voted in the ’08, ’06, ’04, ’02, ’98 (or) ’96 Republican primaries.”
Wilson is a political newcomer who founded the Cincinnati Tea Party in February 2009.
Weidman and Wilson are vying against two other candidates in the May 4 Republican primary: former Wyoming City Councilwoman Vicky Zwissler and Sycamore Township resident Jeffrey Paul.
The primary winner will face incumbent Connie Pillich (D-Montgomery) in the November general election.
The 28th District covers much of northern Hamilton County, including Arlington Heights, Blue Ash, Evendale, Forest Park, Glendale, Lincoln Heights, Lockland, Montgomery, Pleasant Run, Reading, Sharonville, Springdale, Sycamore Township, Woodlawn and Wyoming.
