Zack Space

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Zack Space

Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio's 18th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 4, 2007–
Preceded by	Bob Ney
Succeeded by	Incumbent

Born	January 27, 1961 (age 46) Dover, Ohio
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Mary Space
Religion	Greek Orthodox

Zachary T. (Zack) Space (b. January 27, 1961) of Dover, Ohio, is an American politician of the Democratic Party and presently serves in the U.S. House of Representatives for Ohio's 18th Congressional district. Space won the seat in the November 7, 2006 election, defeating state Senator Joy Padgett. Space's seat was formerly held by Republican Bob Ney, who plead guilty to conspiracy and making false statements in relation to the Abramoff scandal.

1 Early life
2 Career
3 Family
4 2006 Congressional election
- 4.1 Primary victory
- 4.2 General election
5 Other
6 References
7 External links

[edit] Early life

Born in Dover, Ohio, in 1961, Space is the son of Socrates Space and Sandra Gallion. His grandparents immigrated to the United States from Greece in the early years of the 20th century. His grandfather and namesake, Zacharias Space, earned U.S. citizenship through service in World War I.

After graduating from Dover High School in 1979, Space attended Kenyon College in Knox County where he was a member of Beta Theta Pi Fraternity. While earning a degree in political science, he was awarded All-American honors in football and was named the 1982 Athlete of the Year at Kenyon. After his graduation from Kenyon, Space enrolled in the Ohio State University College of Law and earned his Juris Doctor in 1986.

[edit] Career

In 1986, Space started a law practice with his father. Their firm, Space & Space Company, LPA, has been in business for nearly 20 years and is focused on consumer rights law.

Space is a member of the Tuscarawas County and State of Ohio Bar Associations. In addition to his private law practice, he has worked as a public defender and served as Special Counsel to two Attorneys General of Ohio, Anthony J. Celebrezze Jr. and Lee Fisher.

After the death of Dover Law Director Thomas Watson, Space was appointed to fill the vacancy. He won re-election in the 2001 general election with 70 percent of the vote. He was unoppsed in the 2003 election. As law director, Space serves as general counsel to the Dover city government and tries misdemeanor cases in the city's municipal court.

Space is also a managing member of several closely-held companies that have constructed and operated three hotels in Tuscarawas County.

[edit] Family

In 1986, Space married Mary Wade, whom he met when they worked together in the public defender's office. They have two children, Gina, age 17, and Nicholas, 15. His wife Mary has been judge of the New Philadelphia Municipal Court since 1991, the first woman judge in Tuscarawas County history. She was re-elected in 2005 with 64 percent of the vote.

[edit] 2006 Congressional election

Zack Space visits Tuscora Park in New Philadelphia, Ohio, on August 4, 2006.

[edit] Primary victory

On May 2, 2006, Space won the Democratic primary for the House seat then held by Bob Ney, defeating Democrats Jennifer Stewart^[1], Joe Sulzer^[2], and Ralph Applegate.

Space received 39 percent of the vote, Stewart 25 percent, Sulzer 24 percent, and Applegate received 11 percent.^[3]

[edit] General election

Republican Ney said much of the primary campaign was focused on attacking him, and said he would attempt to bring the campaign back to the issues. "It has to get back to issues," he said. “We are going to run an aggressive campaign. ... We are going to stick to the issues and show the difference between me and Zack Space."^[4]

In July, a poll commissioned by the Space campaign showed Space ahead of Ney, 46 percent to 35 percent, with 19 percent undecided.^[5]

On August 7, Ney withdrew from the race, citing concerns about legal issues facing him; he pleaded guilty to charges related to the Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal on October 13. In a special primary the Ohio Republican party selected State Senator Joy Padgett to replace Ney. She was dogged by questions about a business bankruptcy which she and her husband had filed. She was also seriously hampered by associations with Ney, as well as widespread scandals surrounding the Ohio Republican Party.

In the summer of 2006, Space was featured on The Rachel Maddow Show and on October 11 was on WEWS-TV's Vote 2006 forum.

On November 7, Space defeated Padgett 62% to 38%.

[edit] Other

Space is an advocate for embryonic stem cell research, a position he embraced after his son Nicholas was diagnosed with Type I diabetes at age six.

Space has served as a board member of the Tuscarawas County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities and has been active as a coach in local youth baseball, softball, and football leagues. He is a member of St. George Greek Orthodox Church of Massillon, Ohio.

On February 6, 2007, Space was featured on an episode of The Colbert Report, in which he was jokingly criticized for being a pro-border fence, anti-gun control Democrat. At one point, Stephen Colbert cajoled Space into admitting he was actually a Republican.