Schmidt has left Cincinnati

After voting in Loveland early this morning and working the polls in Clermont County, Rep. Jean Schmidt has departed Cincinnati for Washington, D.C.

Schmidt's office said the congressman is expected to land in D.C. around 4 p.m. today.

Why the rush back to Washington?

Schmidt chief of staff Barry Bennett told the Enquirer last week that she needed to get to the U.S. Capitol for a series of votes scheduled for 6:30 p.m. tonight.

Are these votes really that important?

Actually, members of Congress take their votes very seriously. Those who miss votes have been accused of being "absent congressmen" and Schmidt has only missed one vote in her first 6 months on the job.

Tonight, the House plans to vote on 14 bills. But they are non-controversial bills that could pass on voice votes, meaning that recorded votes might not even be taken. These are the votes scheduled for tonight:

1) H.R. 5107 - Earl D. Hutto Post Office Building Designation Act
2) H.R. 4811 - John Paul Hammerschmidt Post Office Building Designation Act
3) H.R. 4674 - Governor John Anderson, Jr. Post Office Building Designation Act
4) H.R. 4995 - Ronald Bucca Post Office Designation Act
5) H.R. 4101 - Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy Post Office Building Designation Act
6) H.R. 3351 - Native American Technical Corrections Act of 2006
7) H.R. 2720 - Salt Cedar and Russian Olive Control Demonstration Act
8) H.R. 3929 - Dana Point Desalination Project Authorization Act
9) H.R. 3418 - Central Texas Water Recycling Act of 2005
10) H.R. 4943 - Prevention of Fraudulent Access to Phone Records Act
11) H.Res. 697 - Congratulating the people and Government of Italy, the Torino Olympic Organizing Committee, the International Olympic Committee, the United States Olympic Committee, the 2006 United States Olympic Team, and all international athletes upon the successful completion of the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin, Italy
12) H.Con.Res. 392 - Recognizing the 58th anniversary of the independence of the State of Israel
13) H.Con.Res. 90 - Conveying the sympathy of Congress to the families of the young women murdered in the State of Chihuahua, Mexico, and encouraging increased United States involvement in bringing an end to these crimes
14) H.Res. 658 - Supporting the goals and ideals of World Water Day

Schmidt's GOP opponent in the 2nd Congressional District primary - Bob McEwen - sent out a press release criticizing her departure.

Excerpt from release: "The move comes as Schmidt’s campaign is imploding after she was caught lying on her resume and claiming false endorsements. Schmidt has also taken heat for spending tens of thousands of dollars hiring Liberal Democrat activist lawyer Stan Chesley to claim her challenger is not an Ohio resident. The Chesley claims were dismissed at both the state and federal levels."

McEwen: "I will never abandon the voters on this important day."