Official: Ohio lawmaker Luckie drops out of race amid inquiry

CINCINNATI — CINCINNATI An Ohio lawmaker withdrew from running for re-election Friday, a day after a prosecutor said he was the subject of an investigation.

State Rep. Clayton Luckie, a Dayton Democrat who had been running for a fourth term in office, submitted a letter dropping out of the race to the Montgomery County Board of Elections without giving a reason, said Mark Owens, chairman of the county's Democratic Party.

Luckie, who remains a state representative, issued a statement Thursday saying the investigation is related to "errors on some reports that are currently being addressed."

"I think it was an emotional thing," Owens said of Luckie's decision. "I think it was a very difficult decision for him to make and a brave one. ? To take this investigation out of the race gives us the best chance of holding that seat and having his constituents be served by someone that would best represent them in Columbus."

Owens said that a meeting would be held in Dayton on Sunday to pick a replacement to run for Luckie's seat, adding that two people have expressed interest: former state lawmakers Fred Strahorn and Rhine McLin.

Whoever is chosen will run against Iraq War veteran and Republican Jeff Wellbaum, of Kettering.

On Thursday, Franklin County prosecutor Ron O'Brien said in a statement that Luckie was under investigation. He didn't specify any allegations.

Before becoming a state representative, Luckie was on the Dayton Public School Board from 1996 to 2006.

He currently serves on the powerful state controlling board, which oversees capital and operating expenditures by Ohio agencies.

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NYC Dems tap state lawmaker to run for Weiner seat (AP)

NEW YORK – Democratic leaders have chosen a state lawmaker from Queens to replace Rep. Anthony Weiner, who resigned his seat in New York's 9th Congressional District last month after a sexting scandal.

Assemblyman David Weprin, 55, was expected to be formally nominated Friday by leaders of the Queens and Brooklyn Democratic parties, an adviser to Weprin said Thursday. The adviser spoke on condition of anonymity because the nomination had not been announced.

Weprin will be heavily favored to win the special election for the seat Sept. 13. While Republicans are expected to announce a nominee soon, no Republican has ever won the seat and the national party was not expected to invest significant resources in the contest.

Weprin was elected to the Assembly in 2010 after serving in the City Council for eight years. He ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for city comptroller in 2009.

Weiner stepped down in the middle of his seventh term after admitting he had sent sexually suggestive texts and photos to women he met on Twitter and other social networking sites. He remained popular in the district until the end, with polls showing a majority of residents did not believe he needed to resign.

New York is set to lose two House seats next year, based on the results of the 2010 census.

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