By Jim Siegel
Gannett Columbus Bureau

COLUMBUS - The race for Senate president is over, and Sen. Bill Harris, R-Ashland, is expected to take the job in 2005.

BILL HARRIS

Age: 69 Hometown: Ashland Legislative experience: Senator since August 2000, chairman of Senate Finance Committee; House member 1995-2000. Professional experience: Former owner, Bill Harris Chevrolet/GEO; U.S. Marine Corps 1953-77. Education: Bachelor's degree in secondary education, University of Arizona.

Harris, 69, a Marine, former auto dealership owner and state lawmaker for nearly 10 years, is expected to take over in January for Senate President Doug White, who is term-limited at the end of the year.

"It's extremely humbling," Harris said Wednesday from his home, where he is recovering from knee surgery. "I'm sure I don't yet know the details of the amount of work and time it's going to take."

As president, Harris would join the governor and House speaker as the top political power brokers of state policy and budgetary decisions.

Harris and his chief rival for the job, Sen. Randy Gardner, R-Bowling Green, met at Harris' farm on Tuesday night to discuss the race, which appeared to have the GOP caucus split. On Wednesday morning, Gardner sent a memo to his colleagues asking them to back Harris.

"It was clear to me there was not going to be a clear majority throughout the summer and into the fall," Gardner said. "This is the kind of election year where we must have our full attention on our campaigns and the tough issues.

"It wasn't a matter of a decisive vote count. It was a matter of doing what's best for this caucus."

A power vacuum opened up last month when presumptive president-elect Jeff Jacobson withdrew from consideration after media reports tied him to a pair of controversial GOP consultants under investigation for alleged campaign and fund-raising misdeeds.

Gardner, the current No. 2 Senate leader, and Harris, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, emerged as favorites to take the top post.

"I commend Sen. Gardner for what he did," Harris said. "By pulling out, he demonstrates he's very much concerned about our caucus."

More than one senator said the 2006 race for governor played a likely role in the Senate race.

Gardner is backing Auditor Betty Montgomery, and some inside and outside the caucus who are backing Attorney General Jim Petro expressed concern that Gardner might use the position of Senate president to promote her campaign.

Harris also got heavy support from the Cincinnati area.

The region's four-member delegation - Sen. Robert Schuler and likely incoming Sens. Patricia Clancy, Gary Cates and Tom Niehaus - met last Friday and decided as a group to back Harris.

Cincinnati-area lobbyist Richard Weiland also made calls to senators in support of Harris, who he called "one of the best people I've ever met in my life."

Sen. Jay Hottinger, R-Newark, who was backing Gardner, said the presidency race has left some hard feelings. Particularly, he said, too many of the caucus' 22 members were pledging support for both candidates.

"A couple days ago, both could have said they've got 12 or 13 commitments, and neither would be lying," Hottinger said.

"That's the very frustrating thing, and it's an issue we have to address. It's an integrity issue. We are not going to be able to work together very well if we can't trust each other."

Asked about any ugliness that went on behind the scenes, Gardner responded, "That was yesterday. Obviously it was very close and very competitive. Today is a new day."

Harris said that when Gardner threw his support behind him, it helped to begin the process of smoothing things over.

"I've talked to a couple members already and assured them there's absolutely no hard feelings," Harris said.

Harris was involved in a fight in 2000 for speaker of the House. To avoid an battle, then-Speaker Jo Ann Davidson brokered a deal in which Harris would hold the top post in 2001, and Larry Householder would take over in 2002.

But after building strong allegiances among a majority of colleagues, including several incoming freshmen, Householder asked Harris to get out of the way. In August 2000, Harris was appointed to the Senate.