| Chuck Blasdel | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Ohio House of Representatives from the 1st district |
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| In office January 3, 2001-December 31, 2006 |
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| Preceded by | Sean D. Logan |
| Succeeded by | Linda Bolon |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Republican |
Chuck Blasdel (born 1971) is a former Speaker Pro-Tempore in the Ohio House of Representatives.,[1] and was the Representative of Ohio's 1st district from 2001 through 2006. He was the Republican nominee for U.S. Congress in Ohio's 6th congressional district.
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Blasdel was born in Akron, Ohio. He received an AA degree in accounting from Ohio Valley Business College,[2] (now Ohio Valley College of Technology). He is married with one child.
Blasdel runs his own investment adviser firm, Blasdel Financial Group, and has property holdings in eastern Ohio.
In April 2006, Blasdel settled a dispute with the state over estimated back taxes and fees owed by two defunct businesses he co-owned. Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro, a Republican, said Blasdel owed $54,916 in estimated delinquent taxes and fees dating back to 1991, and was "going to have to borrow money to pay the debt." Blasdel said he didn't know about the tax issue until the Youngstown Vindicator newspaper notified his campaign about it.[3] Blasdel said the state failed to notify him of assessments against Executive Cigar in East Liverpool, a tobacco retail store he owned with three partners from 1997 to 1999, and Blasdel and Cline, which he ran with Ed Cline from 1990 through 1997.
In 2000, Blasdel defeated Democrat John Wargo for the open House seat in Columbiana County in eastern Ohio (then called the 3rd district before the 2001 redistricting) that had been served for more than a decade by a Democrat.[4]
In 2002, Blasdel won over Wellsville dentist Dr. Frank Rivelle.[5] In 2004, Blasdel had a tougher race, beating Frank Rayl Jr. by just 1 percentage point.[6] Blasdel ran for Congress in 2006, and was succeeded by Democrat Linda Bolon in the 1st district.
During his time in the House of Representatives, Blasdel was the second-ranking Republican in the Ohio House, and one of its leading conservatives. Blasdel rose to his position in just his third two-year term. According to the Associated Press, he did it by raising more money than anyone except Republican Jon Husted, the House speaker.
Blasdel voted for a bill that would prevent the state from beginning judicial proceedings to collect unpaid tax debts more than four years after an assessment is sent from the state tax department to the attorney general for collection.
In an interview in August 2006, Blasel said "I very consistently support pro-life positions. ...I supported the Constitutional Amendment to outlaw gay marriage in Ohio. ...I think tax issues are important, but I think one of the biggest challenges we face in Ohio is that our regulatory agencies are completely out of control. I have a very strong track record of standing up against the EPA, some of the bureaucrats in Columbus... some of our regulatory agencies. I even put in writing to the Governor of Ohio that I thought the EPA in Ohio was engaged in...legalized extortion against the business community."[7]
Blasdel got 49 percent of the vote in a four-way GOP primary to become the Republican nominee for the House seat being vacated by Democratic Congressman Ted Strickland. Strickland did not run for reelection as he successfully ran for Governor of Ohio.
Blasdel was defeated by Democrat Charlie Wilson in the November 2006 general election.