Embattled Rep. Ney to Seek Re-Election

Rep. Bob Ney. R-OH

This is a small, interesting article. From Yahoo News:

WASHINGTON - Undaunted by speculation within his own party that he may have to quit Congress because of a corruption probe, Rep. Bob Ney (news, bio, voting record) announced Wednesday he's running for re-election.

"2006 promises to be a vigorous campaign and I am ready for the fight," said Ney, R-Ohio. He planned to hold his first formal campaign event Thursday.

Ney's popularity has hardly dimmed in his expansive rural district, even after he was identified in disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff's guilty plea as the central figure in Abramoff's scheme to bribe members of Congress.

Supporters of Ney have been unfazed by Ohio party chairman Bob Bennett's pronouncement last week that Ney should resign if he's indicted.

Bennett attempted to soften his nationally televised comments Friday by noting Ney hadn't been charged with a crime, but he later reiterated that Ney should leave Congress if the Justice Department files criminal charges against him.

Looks like Bob Ney is going to try and fight to keep his seat, in the face of the corruption scandals that are going on now. Of course, Ney is taking a major political gamble. Ney is tied in with both Tom DeLay and Jack Abramoff. With Abramoff talking to the federal prosecutors, there is a chance that the feds will indict Ney on corruption charges. Also with the DeLay money laundering trial starting up in the spring, you can bet that Ney's name will come up there as well. And who knows if Texas prosecutors are also looking into Ney's campaign financing. What is especially surprising is that Ney's popularity hasn't dropped in the wake of these scandals, which is certainly a major reason Ney is seeking re-election. But the popularity can change, if indictments are handed down against Ney.