PATRIOT — Gallia County Commissioner Justin Fallon (D- Patriot) announced today that he is filing to run for the Ohio Senate’s 17th District in 2010.

Fallon was first elected County Commissioner in 2006. He has been married to his wife, Meredith, for 11 years. They have two children who are 10 and six years old.

He and his wife are also expecting a third child this summer.

“It was a tough decision for me to give up my county commissioner’s seat to run for Senate, because there is still plenty of work to be done in Gallia County,” Fallon said.

“But if I’m elected to the Senate, I will be able to stand up for southern Ohio and fight for the issues that matter most to the families, communities, and industries in our region. We need new leadership and new common-sense solutions. That’s why I am running for this seat.”

The 17th Ohio Senate District is made up of Clinton, Fayette, Gallia, Highland, Jackson, Pike, Ross and Vinton counties, and parts of Pickaway and Lawrence counties. This seat is being vacated by Sen. John Carey (R-Wellston), who is running for the Ohio House of Representatives due to term limits in the Senate.

If elected to the Senate, Commissioner Fallon plans to focus his efforts on strengthening southern Ohio’s economy and schools.

“My campaign first and foremost will be about creating new jobs and retaining existing ones,” Fallon said. “I also want to go to Columbus to fight for our fair share of school funding. I believe our children should have the same opportunities to learn right here in southern Ohio that they do in Cleveland and Columbus.”