reconsideration of his decision not to run was leaked. At least according to published reports I found after a cursory search. FWIW. I have no dog in this fight one way or another. Just figured that the claims of leaked info made public would leave some public record.
August 17, 2005
Democrats Still Have No One to Face DeWine
Sen. Mike DeWine (R-OH) is so weak it looks like he'll be challenged from the right in a GOP primary, yet Democrats still can't find anyone to run.
After returning from a trip to China, Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH) "said he is leaning against running next year for the U.S. Senate," the Vindicator reports. And Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) just announced he will not run against DeWine.
So the challenge may fall to Paul Hackett, the surprisingly strong candidate in last week's congressional special election. Jerome Armstrong says "he's in it if it's available."
http://politicalwire.com/archives/2005/08/17/democrats_still_have_no_one_to_face_dewine.htmlSeptember 26, 2005
Hackett Likely to Challenge DeWine
Paul Hackett, the Iraq war veteran who nearly won a special congressional election in Ohio earlier this year, has “all but decided to take on” Sen. Mike DeWine (R-OH), reports the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “After making the rounds recently in Washington, Hackett has begun trying to assemble a campaign team in hopes of announcing his candidacy in October.”
Said one Democratic Senate source: “He's said privately that he's running. He's going through the process of hiring staff and getting ready."
http://politicalwire.com/archives/2005/09/26/hackett_likely_to_challenge_dewine.htmlOctober 03, 2005
Brown Reconsidering Challenge to DeWine
"Knowledgeable sources on and off the Hill tell The Fix that Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) is reconsidering his earlier decision not to challenge Sen. Mike DeWine (R) in 2006."
"Should Brown jump into the race, he would likely join OH-02 special election nominee Paul Hackett in the contest. Hackett made a much stronger than expected showing earlier this year in a strongly Republican, Cincinnati-area district thanks in large part to the support he received from the liberal blogsophere."
http://politicalwire.com/archives/2005/10/03/brown_reconsidering_challenge_to_dewine.htmlOctober 03, 2005
Hackett Will Run for Senate
"Paul Hackett, the Iraq War veteran from Cincinnati who was hailed by national Democrats for his narrow loss this summer in a heavily Republican House district, has quickly moved up in rank to challenge Mike DeWine for U.S. Senate in 2006," the AP reports.
The news comes on the heels of reports that Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) was reconsidering his decision not to run. Hacket will officially announce on October 24.
http://politicalwire.com/archives/2005/10/03/hackett_will_run_for_senate.htmlOctober 05, 2005
Brown Says He'll Challenge DeWine
The Hotline reports Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) has told key Democrats that he will challenge Sen. Mike DeWine (R-OH) in next year's election. Earlier this year Brown ruled out a bid for Senate, but in recent days reports suggested that Brown was reconsidering his decision.
Jerome Armstrong makes the case for Brown's candidacy.
http://politicalwire.com/archives/2005/10/05/brown_says_hell_challenge_dewine.htmlOctober 06, 2005
Brown Confirms He'll Run for Senate
We noted it yesterday, but Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) told the Toldeo Blade "that he will challenge incumbent Mike DeWine for a U.S. Senate seat in 2006, setting the stage for a Democratic primary fight."
Brown also made a formal statement on his website.
http://politicalwire.com/archives/2005/10/06/brown_confirms_hell_run_for_senate.htmlOctober 15 Cinci Enquirer article:
...On Oct. 3, after weeks of meetings in Washington with the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee and the Democratic National Committee, David Woodruff, Hackett's congressional campaign manager, said Hackett would run for the Senate.
Two days later, U.S. Rep. Sherrod Brown, D-Lorain who once served as Ohio secretary of state, said he, too, would run - even though he had earlier told party leaders, and Hackett himself, that he would not.
Hackett said that at the urging of Democratic party leaders in Washington, he met with Brown about a month ago. Hackett said Brown told him he had no plans to run and encouraged him to do so.
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051015/NEWS01/510150369/1056