George Vincent can't get enough of this

Some Hamilton County Republican Party chairmen of the past 30 years or so couldn't get away from the job fast enough, but George Vincent, the lawyer from Dinsmore & Shohl who took over the party chairmanship last summer, is coming back for more.

Vincent was re-elected party chairman Wednesday at a party central committee meeting Wednesday at the Montgomery Inn Banquet Center, and is re-upping at a time when the heat is on the Hamilton County Republican Party leadership.

This year, the GOP in Hamilton County faces the possibility of losing control of the Hamilton County Board of Commisioners for the first time since John F. Kennedy was president and Vincent was about six years old. Commissioner Phil Heimlich faces a well-funded and experienced Democrat in David Pepper.

But, while Heimlich-Pepper is a big ticket item, even bigger is the weight the Ohio Republican Party will no doubt dump on Vincent and the party apparatus to turn out GOP voters for the home-town candidate for governor, Ken Blackwell.

Vincent said that the third part of the trinity will be re-electing U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot, who is going to have his hands full fending off Democrat John Cranley in a year when the Republican-controlled Congress is only slightly more popular than the Republican president.

While Heimlich, Chabot and Blackwell are the glamor boys, Vincent says the party is equally determined to re-elect Judge Patrick Dinkelacker to the 1st District Court of Appeals. Dinkelacker's opponent, James T. O'Reilly, is expected to run an agressive campaign and have a fair amount of money behind him.

Despite all the problematic races, Vincent said he is glad he signed on for another term.

"I said I'd stay as long as I am effective and I am having fun doing it,'' Vincent said. "And I'm still having fun.''