Hoops, McClain get nods for Ohio House vacancies

1/10/2018
BLADE STAFF

COLUMBUS — Former state Rep. Jim Hoops is about to return to the Ohio House of Representatives.

A screening committee Wednesday unanimously recommended the Napoleon Republican for appointment to the vacancy created in northwest Ohio’s 81st District when Robert McColley was promoted to the state Senate.

The Senate vacancy was created by the resignation of state Sen. Cliff Hite (R., Findlay) in the wake of a sexual harassment complaint filed against him.

The committee also recommended Riordan McClain, of Upper Sandusky, for the vacancy created in the nearby 87th District when state Rep. Wes Goodman (R., Cardington) resigned in his own cloud of sexual misconduct after just months after taking office.

Mr. McClain is the son of former state Rep. Jeff McClain, Mr. Goodman’s immediate predecessor.

Both are expected to be sworn in when the chamber returns to Columbus on Jan. 17 and will run to keep the seats in the GOP column this fall.

Mr. Hoops, a former Henry County auditor and currently associate vice president for strategic initiatives at Northwest State Community College, served in the House from 1999 to 2006 before term limits showed him the door. He’s been out of office more than eight years, allowing him now to restart the term-limits clock.

The 81st district consists of Henry, Putnam, and Williams counties and a portion of southeastern Fulton.

Mr. McClain is director of finance and customer service at Doc Investments, LLC. The 87th District consists of a southwestern sliver of Seneca County, northern Marion, and all Wyandot, Crawford, and Morrow counties.