Zack Space

Zack Space
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio's 18th district
In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2011
Preceded by	Bob Ney
Succeeded by	Bob Gibbs
Personal details
Born	January 27, 1961 (1961-01-27) Dover, Ohio
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Mary Space
Children	Gina Space Nicholas Space
Residence	Dover, Ohio
Alma mater	Kenyon College, Ohio State University
Occupation	attorney
Religion	Greek Orthodox

Zachary T. "Zack" Space (born January 27, 1961) is an American politician and the former U.S. Representative for Ohio's 18th congressional district, serving from 2007 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

Early life, education and career

Space was born on January 27, 1961 in Dover, Ohio. In 1986, Space started a law practice with his father. Their firm, Space & Space Company, LPA, has been in business for nearly 20 years and is focused on consumer rights law. He is a member of the Tuscarawas County and State of Ohio Bar Associations. In addition to his private law practice, he has worked as a public defender and served as Special Counsel to two Attorneys General of Ohio, Anthony J. Celebrezze, Jr. and Lee Fisher.

After the death of Dover Law Director Thomas Watson, Space was appointed to fill the vacancy. He won re-election in the 2001 general election with 70 percent of the vote. He was unopposed in the 2003 election. As law director, Space served as general counsel to the Dover city government and tried misdemeanor cases in the city's municipal court.

U.S. House of Representatives

Committee assignments

• Committee on Energy and Commerce
  • Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection
  • Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet
  • Subcommittee on Health

Space is a member of the Blue Dog Coalition.

He is an advocate for embryonic stem cell research, a position he embraced after his son Nicholas was diagnosed with Type I diabetes at age six. Representative Space voted against the Senate version of the federal health care reform bill after voting for the House version. Rep. Space voted for the Waxman-Markey "cap and trade" bill allowing it to be brought out of committee and be passed by the House. AEP and EDF ran a commercial congratulating Rep. Space for his vote.

Political campaigns

2006

Zack Space visits Tuscora Park in New Philadelphia, Ohio, on August 4, 2006.

On May 2, 2006, Space won the Democratic primary for the House seat then held by Bob Ney, defeating Democrats Jennifer Stewart, Joe Sulzer, and Ralph Applegate. Space received 39 percent of the vote, Stewart 25 percent, Sulzer 24 percent, and Applegate received 11 percent.

Republican Ney said much of the primary campaign was focused on attacking him, and said he would attempt to bring the campaign back to the issues. "It has to get back to issues," he said. “We are going to run an aggressive campaign. ... We are going to stick to the issues and show the difference between me and Zack Space."

In July, a poll commissioned by the Space campaign showed Space ahead of Ney, 46 percent to 35 percent, with 19 percent undecided.

On August 7, Ney withdrew from the race, citing concerns about legal issues facing him; he pleaded guilty to charges related to the Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal on October 13. In a special primary the Ohio Republican party selected State Senator Joy Padgett to replace Ney. She was dogged by questions about a business bankruptcy that she and her husband had filed. She was also seriously hampered by associations with Ney, as well as widespread scandals surrounding the Ohio Republican Party.

On November 7, Space defeated Padgett 62 percent to 38 percent. Although much more attention was paid to Brad Ellsworth's 61 percent to 39 percent defeat of John Hostettler in Indiana's 8th district, Space's victory was the largest margin of any Democrat in a Republican-held seat nationwide in 2006.

2008

See also: United States House of Representatives elections in Ohio, 2008#District 18

Space defeated Fred Dailey, former director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture 60-40%.

2010

See also: United States House of Representatives elections in Ohio, 2010#District 18*

Space was challenged by Republican State Senator Bob Gibbs, Constitution Party Lindsey Sutton, and Libertarian Christopher Clayton. Gibbs won the election, securing 54% of the vote to 40% that went to Space.

Personal life

Space is a managing member of several closely held companies that have constructed and operated three hotels in Tuscarawas County. He has served as a board member of the Tuscarawas County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities and has been active as a coach in local youth baseball, softball, and football leagues. He is a member of St. George Greek Orthodox Church of Massillon, Ohio.

External links

• Zack Space for U.S. Congress official campaign site
• Biography at WhoRunsGov.com at The Washington Post
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Congressional profile at GovTrack
• Congressional profile at OpenCongress
• Issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
• Financial information at OpenSecrets.org
• Staff salaries, trips and personal finance at LegiStorm.com
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Appearances on C-SPAN programs
• Profile at SourceWatch
• Photos from Zack Space's first day in office

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by Bob Ney	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio's 18th congressional district January 3, 2007 - January 3, 2011	Succeeded by Bob Gibbs