Mike Moran Taking on John Widowfield for State Rep.

Hudson At-Large City Councilman Mike Moran has announced that he is seeking to unseat Rep. John Widowfield in the Ohio 42nd House district. In the 2005 city council election, Moran was the top vote-getter in a six person race for three at-large seats.

According to the ABJ:

Moran, a Democrat, filed a complaint in September about a group of female independent candidates crowding the ballot for Falls clerk. He alleged it was an attempt by Republicans to draw votes from Lisa Zeno Carano, the Democratic candidate. The independents were thrown off the ballot because they missed the filing deadline.

Moran, 43, a two-year councilman, said the independent-candidates issue — and Widowfield running for another seat — prompted his challenge.

I talked one party insider who flagged this race as a chance for a pick-up as ODP tries to take back the Ohio House. Widowfield, who never had a reputation as a world-beater, took a serious blow to his credibility by getting creamed in the election for Cuyahoga Falls Municipal Clerk, despite significantly outspending his opponent. And of course Widowfield's recent designation as Ohio's Laziest Legislator will be part of the entire campaign as opposed to just the last weekend of campaigning.

You can learn more about Councilman Moran on his website which is currently focused on the City Council position.