Matt Patten
Encyclopedia
Matt Patten is a Democratic
politician who served in the Ohio House of Representatives
. A native of Cleveland, Ohio
, Patten was a labor organizer before beginning a career in the political sector.
When Representative Tom Patton
gave up another term in the House to run for the Ohio Senate
, Patten ran for his seat. It was thought that Patten would run against term limited Senator Robert Spada
, but an appointment given to Spada by Ohio Governor Ted Strickland
changed the favorite of the race. With Spada out of the race, good last name recognition and a strong showing by Barack Obama
within the district, Patten won the seat over Colleen Grady, who was a last minute entrant to the race.
Patten was sworn into his seat in the House on January 5, 2009, to a newly won Democratic majority. However, from the beginning of his term, Patten was a top target by Republicans
. While Patten was a strong advocate for education and labor
, as well as a supporter of health initiatives and gun rights, he was seen as potentially vulnerable by Democrats as well.
In his first reelection bid, Patten faced Mike Dovilla
, a political consultant who was running for his first elected office. Over time, the race became one of the closest watched in the cycle, with Patten and Dovilla both neck and neck. Both the Democratic and Republican committees invested heavily in the campaign.
Patten was defeated by Dovilla, leaving him as a one-term Representative. Along with Patten's defeat, Republicans also took control of the majority in the Ohio House. After his term was completed, Patten returned to the Berea area.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician who served in the Ohio House of Representatives
Ohio House of Representatives
The Ohio House of Representatives is the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio; the other house of the bicameral legislature being the Ohio Senate....
. A native of Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, Patten was a labor organizer before beginning a career in the political sector.
When Representative Tom Patton
Tom Patton
Tom Patton is a member and current majority leader of the Ohio Senate, representing the Twenty Fourth District since 2008. He formerly served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 2003 to 2008...
gave up another term in the House to run for the Ohio Senate
Ohio Senate
The Ohio State Senate is the upper house of the Ohio General Assembly, the legislative body for the U.S. state of Ohio. There are 33 State Senators. The state legislature meets in the state capital, Columbus. The President of the Senate presides over the body when in session, and is currently Tom...
, Patten ran for his seat. It was thought that Patten would run against term limited Senator Robert Spada
Robert Spada
Robert F. Spada is a former Republican member of the Ohio Senate, representing the 24th District of the U.S. state of Ohio from 1999 to 2008.- External links :* official Ohio Senate website* profile*Follow the Money - Robert F Spada...
, but an appointment given to Spada by Ohio Governor Ted Strickland
Ted Strickland
Theodore "Ted" Strickland was the 68th Governor of Ohio, serving from 2007 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the United States House of Representatives, representing ....
changed the favorite of the race. With Spada out of the race, good last name recognition and a strong showing by Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
within the district, Patten won the seat over Colleen Grady, who was a last minute entrant to the race.
Patten was sworn into his seat in the House on January 5, 2009, to a newly won Democratic majority. However, from the beginning of his term, Patten was a top target by Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. While Patten was a strong advocate for education and labor
Labour movement
The term labour movement or labor movement is a broad term for the development of a collective organization of working people, to campaign in their own interest for better treatment from their employers and governments, in particular through the implementation of specific laws governing labour...
, as well as a supporter of health initiatives and gun rights, he was seen as potentially vulnerable by Democrats as well.
In his first reelection bid, Patten faced Mike Dovilla
Mike Dovilla
Michael D. "Mike" Dovilla is a Republican member of the Ohio House of Representatives, first elected in 2010 representing the 18th district. He won the November election, defeating incumbent Democrat Rep. Matt Patten with 52% of the vote. Before his election Dovilla worked as an advisor to Senator...
, a political consultant who was running for his first elected office. Over time, the race became one of the closest watched in the cycle, with Patten and Dovilla both neck and neck. Both the Democratic and Republican committees invested heavily in the campaign.
Patten was defeated by Dovilla, leaving him as a one-term Representative. Along with Patten's defeat, Republicans also took control of the majority in the Ohio House. After his term was completed, Patten returned to the Berea area.