State Sen. Bill Seitz And Wife Heading For Splitsville: Cincinnati Republican's Dissolution Of Marriage Filed Election Day

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Seitz Split Cites Irreconcilable Differences

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- After 32 years of marriage, Ohio State Sen. Bill Seitz is getting a dissolution of marriage from his wife, Diane. The couple separated 13 months ago and have been living apart. Papers filed with the Hamilton County Domestic Relations Court on Election Day state that the longtime lawyer and his wife Diane are incompatible, “irreconcilable differences having arisen between them rendering it impracticable for them to live together.” The jointly filed suit doesn’t say what those irreconcilable differences are, only that they were enough for them to separate in October 2009. He’ll stay in the marital home in Green Township. She has a house in Delhi Township.  The couple's two children are grown.  Seitz represents District 8 in the Ohio Senate and chairs the civil justice committee.  In 2004, he sponsored the Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as a union  between a man and a woman.  At the time, Seitz said this about the measure:  "It's a gigantic step toward strengthening the traditional view of marriage."

Unfortunately, his own traditional marriage hit the skids after more than three decades.  Seitz, a full-throated Republican, is known for his wit, his speeches in the legislative chambers, his intelligence, and his willingness to quickly respond to inquiries from constituents and the media.  He is fairly popular in Columbus among his colleagues, and is one of the more noteworthy state legislators from Greater Cincinnati. He spent seven years in the Ohio House of Representatives, was appointed to the Senate in 2007 and was elected to that seat a year later. His chairmanship of the Senate's civil justice panel makes sense since he has worked at Taft, Stettinius & Hollister since 1978 and is now a partner.  Seitz is seen as favoring pro-business interests over those of unions and the plaintiff's bar.  The court filings say that he'll need two incomes to fulfill the spousal support payments he agreed to -- $3,400 a month starting in January. That was based on $146,000 in annual income for Seitz, $17,500 for his wife. Both sides agreed that a “significant” portion of Seitz’s income hinges on his re-election in 2012, should he pursue it:  “In the event that Husband is no longer in the Ohio Senate and he does not have other income to equal at least $124,100, the Court shall have continuing jurisdiction to lower his spousal support amount.”

Diane Seitz will also get her share of the family nest eggs. She’ll receive $236,000 of her husband’s retirement account at Taft and half of their stock in Cheviot Savings Bank and Cincinnati Financial Corp.  Bill Seitz is on some lists of possible GOP candidates for the 2012 U.S. Senate nomination.  The winner would face Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, a freshman who plans to seek reelection.  Seitz has not put his hat in the ring -- the speculation has come from insiders and handicappers -- and Seitz has not publicly touted a candidacy against the expected Republican field.  It is not clear what effect if any the dissolution might have on his political career.  Was it a clean split, or is there something else going on that caused the break up?

2008 GOP Ohio Senate Primary: Seitz vs. Clancy May Be Coming

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Tiny story in this morning's Enquirer with big political news that shows how term limits are changing politics. State Rep. Bill Seitz appears to be making plans to run for an Ohio Senate seat now held by Patty Clancy. Both are Republicans. But Seitz must find another job if he wants to stay in the Statehouse because he is term-limited out of office in 2008.

Clancy's 8th District seat covers a western chunk of Hamilton County, and she faces a run for re-election next year. She told the Enquirer she plans to stay in the Senate. Seitz indicates he intends to move up, and she is blocking his path. Collision ahead.

Seitz is a conservative and leader in the House. Outside Cincinnati, he may be best known as an advocate for opening the state to casino style gambling and slots.

The Enquirer squib is HERE. In a different era, Republicans didn't have primaries or try to chase each other out of office. But term limits have elected officials looking for new slots when they have to move on. State. Rep. Tom Brinkman is probably going to run for the OH-02 congressional seat now held by Rep. Jean Schmidt, which starts on the East Side of Cincy and head upstream on the Ohio River all the way to Portsmouth. Seitz is testing the water on the West Side. He is a PARTNER at Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, one of the largest law firms in Ohio, and would have no problem raising money for a race against Clancy.

Inquiring minds are wondering: Will Clancy be squeezed out before the primary to make room for Seitz? He's a political bigfoot, and she does not quite match his legislative reputation. Over the years, however, the GOP has been dogged by concerns it is too much an old boys club that has been slow to welcome women into the ranks. Clancy's gender could become an issue if the notion that that Republicans are less than enthusiastic about supporting women candidates is fanned. Clancy, whose father was a congressman, would benefit and might even have the skills to turn events to her advantage if she is forced to become aggressive. Still, Seitz would probably have more money to spend on a primary.