By Liz Sidoti
The Associated Press

COLUMBUS - To get video gambling machines at Ohio racetracks next year, the Republican-controlled Legislature probably would have to court Democrats to override an expected veto by Gov. Bob Taft.

That means Democrats who are unwilling to vote for the legislation on its merits likely would exchange their votes for favorable treatment on future legislation.

It's an unusual position for Democrats, who generally are shut out of policy-making decisions because of their minority status in the House and Senate.

Herb Asher, a political science professor at Ohio State University, said the agreements themselves almost always are kept because at the Statehouse, "the failure to keep that agreement would really be a public sign that your word is not good, and that damages a person."

However, he acknowledged and recent history shows that unforeseen circumstances can make such trades risky.

When the Legislature approved new congressional districts in January, minority Democrats provided the votes required to allow the bill to take effect immediately, avoiding the need for a special election.

That allowed Democrats the leverage to demand more friendly districts from the majority Republicans who drew the map.

Democratic-held seats in southern and northeastern Ohio were made stronger, making Republican victories in those districts unlikely.

However, Democrats didn't know then that U.S. Rep. Tony Hall would resign his Southwest Ohio seat to become the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations for food and agriculture agencies.

That left Mr. Hall's seat, long held by the Democrat in a Republican-friendly district, open. The GOP won the district in November when Mike Turner, a former Dayton mayor, beat Democrat Rick Carne.

The sponsor of the video gambling bill, Sen. Lou Blessing, said last week that the measure probably is dead for this year because there is little time left in the legislative session. Lawmakers are scheduled to meet just six more days before the session ends this month.

The bill would authorize the installation of video slots at Ohio's seven horseracing tracks.

Mr. Blessing, a Cincinnati Republican, said the bill would return in some form during the next legislative session.

Rep. Dean DePiero, the No. 1 Democrat in the House, said Democrats gamble whenever they trade votes for favors.

However, he said, it does provide a chance for the party to be involved in policy making after months of being all but absent from discussions on the budget and school funding.

Mr. DePiero said House Democrats had not considered what they would ask for in exchange for votes if the video gambling bill is revived next year.

The minority leader in the Senate, Sen. Greg DiDonato of New Philadelphia, has said he might be willing to trade votes for GOP support of some Democratic proposals.

He has said those include a freeze on cuts in student aid for two-year community colleges, at least three hearings on a Democrat-sponsored prescription drug discount program and keeping spending at current levels for meals-on-wheels and hemophiliac aid programs.