RELEASE: FOP Endorses Widener

Release:

SPRINGFIELD, OH (09/16/2008) - The Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio has announced its endorsement of Chris Widener, candidate for the Ohio State Senate. With more than 25,000 professional law enforcement members in Ohio, the FOP is the largest law enforcement organization in the state.

"I am humbled by the support of Ohio's law enforcement community." said Widener.

"As a State Rep, I have voted to impose tougher penalties on sex predators to keep them off the streets and away from our children. I have also worked with law enforcement to give them the means to deal with new threats like Internet predators. As your State Senator I will continue to arm law enforcement with the tools they need to keep our children safe."

Widener continues to rack up broad based support and endorsements for his senate campaign including, Ohio Chamber of Commerce, the Ohio Farm Bureau-"Friend of Agriculture," Ohio Nurses Association, Associated Builders and Contractors of Ohio, Ohio State Building and Construction Trades Council, Buckeye Firearms Association, Ohio Society of CPA's, International Union of Operating Engineers, and the Ohio State Medical Association.

Widener is a licensed architect and has owned his own firm for more than 18 years. Prior to starting his own business he was the first full-time Historic Preservation Officer at Wright Patterson Air Force Base and served as a civil service architect.

Widener currently represents Madison County and portions of Clark and Greene Counties in his fourth term as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives. As a legislator, he worked to cut personal income taxes by 21 percent, provided much needed prescription drug coverage for 1.4 million Ohio seniors without any additional costs to taxpayers and helped pass a state budget with the lowest growth in spending in nearly half a century.