Albany native Patrick Lang is poised to challenge incumbent Rep. Jimmy Stewart, R-Athens next November for the 92nd House seat.
Lang will announce his future plans and platform for the 2004 election at 10 a.m. Nov. 12 at the Athens County Courthouse. In the next three weeks, he will meet and talk with citizens to find out what people want from their government.
Lang did not comment about his candidacy because he said he does not want to be a distraction from this year's election.
Right now
Pat doesn't want to take away from the 2003 election which is why his events are planned for after the 2003 cycle Lang campaign spokesman Damon Boughamer said.
Stewart said he has known Lang for about six years and thinks he will make a worthy opponent.
Lang, 25, graduated from Ohio University in 1999 and received his graduate degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Law last spring. Lang is employed by the Athens law firm Henniger & Associates.
He was the first OU student without an undergraduate degree to be elected to Athens City Council. He served in the city's second ward from 1997 through 1999.
Athens County Democratic Chairwoman Susan Gwinn has known Lang for a number of years and said she thinks he will make a formidable opponent for Jimmy Stewart.
Gwinn said she did not think Lang's youth would have a negative effect on his bid for the statehouse seat.
Age is always a factor. It's not like Jimmy Stewart is that old either
Gwinn said. When Stewart was elected in November 2002, he was 32.
Currently, there are no other candidates for the position, but many usually wait until the filing deadline of Jan. 2, Stewart said.
The 92nd District includes all of Athens, Meigs and Morgan Counties and the western third of Washington County.
Although Gwinn refused to comment on other potential Democratic opponents, she said there are other people who want to run.
One person will definitely run I think
Gwinn said. Because Athens has open primaries
we'll just have to wait and see who comes out of the primary.
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