John W. Griffin
Encyclopedia
John William Griffin was an Ohio
farmer
and a perennial candidate
over the last forty years for various local, state, and federal offices in Ohio. While he lost far more political races than he won, at the time of his death he was a duly-elected member of the Ohio State Board of Education
. A resident of Miami Township
in south central Montgomery County, Ohio
between Miamisburg
and Germantown
, he irritated party and education officials with his bids for office and had been the subject of scathing articles in the Dayton
press.
Griffin was the son of Francis and Genevieve (Stenger) Griffin. He graduated from Jefferson Township High School and attended the University of Dayton
. Griffin was a Roman Catholic and a member of the Knights of Columbus
.
Griffin won the Democratic
nomination for U.S. Representative
from Ohio's Eighth Congressional District in 1976, 1980, and 1982, each time losing to Republican
incumbent Tom Kindness
. In 1978, Griffin ran for Congress again, winning the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Republican Tennyson Guyer
in the Fourth District. He was again unsuccessful.
Griffin ran again in the Eighth District in 1986 and 1988, both times losing to Kindness's successor Donald "Buz" Lukens. (Rather than seek re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives, Kindness had sought election to the U.S. Senate
in 1986.) In 1998, Griffin again won the Democratic nomination in the Eighth District, defeating the Democratic party's endorsed candidate, but lost in the general election
to Lukens's successor John Boehner
. He sought the Democratic nomination in 2000 to challenge Boehner again, but lost the primary to John G. Parks – 15,924 (53 percent) for Parks, 14,126 (47 percent) for Griffin.
In 1976, Griffin ran as an alternate delegate to the Democratic National Convention
, pledged to U.S. Rep. Morris K. Udall (D-Arizona
) for President
. Griffin was an elected member of the Ohio Democratic Party
's State Central Committee for two decades, losing his seat in the mid-1990s. He unsuccessfully sought re-election to the committee in 1998 and 2000.
In 1990, he ran simultaneously for the Ohio House of Representatives
from the 73rd district and the Ohio State Board of Education
from the Eighth District, losing both races. Griffin was elected in 1992 to the Ohio State Board of Education, defeating three-term incumbent Chester A. Roush in the Third District for a two-year term. Griffin finished second to Diana M. Fessler in a six-candidate field in 1994 when he ran for a full four-year term. He moved to Minster
, in northern Ohio, in 1996 to run against Virginia E. Jacobs for the First District seat on the Ohio State Board of Education and lost. In 1997, 1999, and 2001, he ran for the Board of Education of the Miamisburg City School District in Montgomery County and came in last all three times. In 2001, he was last in a field of six, receiving 993 votes (9.135%). In 1998, he again ran against Fessler in the Third District and again lost. Griffin campaigned against school vouchers and for reform of school funding in Ohio.
In 2002, Griffin again sought a seat on the state education board. The Dayton Daily News
that year ran a series of scathing pieces about Griffin's behavior during his first term on the state board and his tax
problems. Dennis Lieberman, chairman of the Montgomery County
Democratic Party, stated "He has constantly been an embarrassment to our whole community." Nevertheless, Griffin unseated third district incumbent Carl Wick on November 5 to return to the State Board of Education. Immediately after the election, party leaders in Dayton vowed they would try to remove him from office and the Daily News ran more scathing opinions – one writer called him a "rat" – but Griffin served on the board until his death. "I am so disillusioned with our electorate," Lieberman said after Griffin's election.
Griffin died at Middletown Regional Hospital in Middletown, Ohio
at age 78. "He was an advocate for children, and his work on the state board of education reflected his desire to see all Ohio students succeed in the classroom," said J.C. Benton of the Ohio Department of Education upon the occasion of Griffin's passing.
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
and a perennial candidate
Perennial candidate
A perennial candidate is one who frequently runs for public office with a record of success that is infrequent, if existent at all. Perennial candidates are often either members of minority political parties or have political opinions that are not mainstream. They may run without any serious hope...
over the last forty years for various local, state, and federal offices in Ohio. While he lost far more political races than he won, at the time of his death he was a duly-elected member of the Ohio State Board of Education
Ohio State Board of Education
The Ohio Department of Education is the state education agency of Ohio, headquartered in Columbus. The Ohio State Board of Education is the governing body of the department....
. A resident of Miami Township
Miami Township, Montgomery County, Ohio
Miami Township is one of the nine townships of Montgomery County, Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census the population was 50,735.-Geography:Located in the southern part of the county, it borders the following townships and cities:*Moraine - north...
in south central Montgomery County, Ohio
Montgomery County, Ohio
Montgomery County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. The population was 535,153 in the 2010 Census. It was named in honor of Richard Montgomery, an American Revolutionary War general killed in 1775 while attempting to capture Quebec City, Canada. The county seat is Dayton...
between Miamisburg
Miamisburg, Ohio
Miamisburg is a city in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States. The population was 20,181 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area...
and Germantown
Germantown, Ohio
Germantown is a city in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States. The population was 5,547 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Germantown is located at ....
, he irritated party and education officials with his bids for office and had been the subject of scathing articles in the Dayton
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
press.
Griffin was the son of Francis and Genevieve (Stenger) Griffin. He graduated from Jefferson Township High School and attended the University of Dayton
University of Dayton
The University of Dayton is a private Roman Catholic university operated by the Society of Mary located in Dayton, Ohio...
. Griffin was a Roman Catholic and a member of the Knights of Columbus
Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....
.
Griffin won the Democratic
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...
nomination for U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Ohio's Eighth Congressional District in 1976, 1980, and 1982, each time losing to Republican
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...
incumbent Tom Kindness
Tom Kindness
Thomas Norman Kindness was a member of the United States House of Representatives representing Ohio from January 3, 1975 to January 3, 1987....
. In 1978, Griffin ran for Congress again, winning the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Republican Tennyson Guyer
Tennyson Guyer
Tennyson Guyer was a member of the United States House of Representatives. He was a Republican from Ohio....
in the Fourth District. He was again unsuccessful.
Griffin ran again in the Eighth District in 1986 and 1988, both times losing to Kindness's successor Donald "Buz" Lukens. (Rather than seek re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives, Kindness had sought election to the U.S. Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in 1986.) In 1998, Griffin again won the Democratic nomination in the Eighth District, defeating the Democratic party's endorsed candidate, but lost in the general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
to Lukens's successor John Boehner
John Boehner
John Andrew Boehner is the 61st and current Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. A member of the Republican Party, he is the U.S. Representative from , serving since 1991...
. He sought the Democratic nomination in 2000 to challenge Boehner again, but lost the primary to John G. Parks – 15,924 (53 percent) for Parks, 14,126 (47 percent) for Griffin.
In 1976, Griffin ran as an alternate delegate to the Democratic National Convention
Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...
, pledged to U.S. Rep. Morris K. Udall (D-Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
) for President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
. Griffin was an elected member of the Ohio Democratic Party
Ohio Democratic Party
The Ohio Democratic Party is the Ohio affiliate to the United States Democratic Party. Former Ohio House Minority Leader Chris Redfern is the Ohio Democratic Party chairman. Redfern was elected to office in December 2005...
's State Central Committee for two decades, losing his seat in the mid-1990s. He unsuccessfully sought re-election to the committee in 1998 and 2000.
In 1990, he ran simultaneously for 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....
from the 73rd district and the Ohio State Board of Education
Ohio State Board of Education
The Ohio Department of Education is the state education agency of Ohio, headquartered in Columbus. The Ohio State Board of Education is the governing body of the department....
from the Eighth District, losing both races. Griffin was elected in 1992 to the Ohio State Board of Education, defeating three-term incumbent Chester A. Roush in the Third District for a two-year term. Griffin finished second to Diana M. Fessler in a six-candidate field in 1994 when he ran for a full four-year term. He moved to Minster
Minster, Ohio
Minster is a village in Auglaize County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,794 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Wapakoneta, Ohio Micropolitan Statistical Area...
, in northern Ohio, in 1996 to run against Virginia E. Jacobs for the First District seat on the Ohio State Board of Education and lost. In 1997, 1999, and 2001, he ran for the Board of Education of the Miamisburg City School District in Montgomery County and came in last all three times. In 2001, he was last in a field of six, receiving 993 votes (9.135%). In 1998, he again ran against Fessler in the Third District and again lost. Griffin campaigned against school vouchers and for reform of school funding in Ohio.
In 2002, Griffin again sought a seat on the state education board. The Dayton Daily News
Dayton Daily News
The Dayton Daily News is a daily newspaper published in Dayton, Ohio. It is owned by Cox Enterprises. In the 2010 Associated Press Society of Ohio newspaper competition that takes place every year, DaytonDailyNews.com was named "the best large-newspaper web site in Ohio".-History:On August 15,...
that year ran a series of scathing pieces about Griffin's behavior during his first term on the state board and his tax
Tax
To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...
problems. Dennis Lieberman, chairman of the Montgomery County
Montgomery County, Ohio
Montgomery County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. The population was 535,153 in the 2010 Census. It was named in honor of Richard Montgomery, an American Revolutionary War general killed in 1775 while attempting to capture Quebec City, Canada. The county seat is Dayton...
Democratic Party, stated "He has constantly been an embarrassment to our whole community." Nevertheless, Griffin unseated third district incumbent Carl Wick on November 5 to return to the State Board of Education. Immediately after the election, party leaders in Dayton vowed they would try to remove him from office and the Daily News ran more scathing opinions – one writer called him a "rat" – but Griffin served on the board until his death. "I am so disillusioned with our electorate," Lieberman said after Griffin's election.
Griffin died at Middletown Regional Hospital in Middletown, Ohio
Middletown, Ohio
Middletown is an All-America City located in Butler and Warren counties in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. Formerly in Lemon, Turtlecreek, and Franklin townships, Middletown was incorporated by the Ohio General Assembly on February 11, 1833, and became a city in 1886...
at age 78. "He was an advocate for children, and his work on the state board of education reflected his desire to see all Ohio students succeed in the classroom," said J.C. Benton of the Ohio Department of Education upon the occasion of Griffin's passing.
See also
- Election Results, U.S. Representative from Ohio, 8th District
- Election Results, U.S. Representative from Ohio, 4th District
- List of Knights of Columbus