Zachary Space

Zachary "Zack" Space, a Democrat, represented the 18th Congressional District of Ohio in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011.

Environmental record
For more information on environmental legislation, see the Energy and Environment Policy Portal

Early life
Born in Dover, Ohio in 1961, Space is the son of Socrates Space and Sandra Gallion. His grandparents immigrated to the United States from Greece in the early years of the 20th century. His grandfather and namesake, Zacharias Space, earned U.S. citizenship through service in World War I. After graduating from Dover High School in 1979, Space attended Kenyon College in Knox County. While earning a degree in political science, he was awarded All-American honors in football and was named the 1982 Athlete of the Year at Kenyon. After his graduation from Kenyon, Space enrolled in the Ohio State University College of Law and earned his Juris Doctorate in 1986.

Career
In 1986, Space started a law practice with his father. Their firm focused primarily on consumer rights law. Space 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 Ohio Attorney Generals -- Anthony J. Celebrezze Jr. and Lee Fisher. After the untimely 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.

Space was also a managing member of several closely held companies that have constructed and operated three hotels in Tuscarawas County.

Family
In 1986, Space married Mary Wade, whom he met when they worked together in the public defender's office. They have two children, Gina and Nicholas. His wife Mary has been Judge of the New Philadelphia Municipal Court since 1991, the first woman judge in Tuscarawas County history. She was re-elected in 2005 with 64 percent of the vote.

Other
Space 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.

Primary victory
On May 2, 2006, Space won the Democratic primary for the House seat held by Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio), defeating three other Democratic candidates:


 * Jennifer Stewart, a Zanesville, Ohio native who is the vice-president of the Ohio State Board of Education.
 * Joe Sulzer, the mayor of Chillicothe, Ohio, a former state representative, and candidate for the seat in 1992.
 * Jeff Woollard, a training consultant, technical writer, and former automotive engineer.

Space received 39 percent of the vote, while Stewart received 25, Sulzer received 24, and Woollard received 11, respectively. 

General election
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."

On July 10, 2006, the Space campaign released results of a poll it had commissioned, which showed Space ahead of Ney, 46 percent to 35 percent, with 19 percent undecided.

On August 7, 2006, Ney withdrew from the 2006 election race, citing concerns about legal issues facing him (he later pled guilty to several charges and resigned from Congress). Joy Padgett, a state senator, won a special primary and became his Republican opponent. Space defeated her 62%-38% to win the general election. 

Issue positions
Space is a strong advocate for embryonic stem cell research, a position that developed after his son Nicholas was diagnosed with Type I diabetes at age six.

Money in politics
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Committees in the 110th Congress (2007-2008)

 * House Committee on Agriculture
 * Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research
 * Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management
 * House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
 * Subcommittee on Aviation
 * Subcommittee on Highways, Transit & Pipelines
 * Subcommittee on Railroads
 * House Committee on Veterans' Affairs
 * Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations

Resources

 * Zach Space for Congress, official campaign site.

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Psychobilly Democrat
 * As Ohio Goes
 * Writes Like She Talks