Only one senator at a time, please

I TOLD YOU THAT it would be fun to watch!  I mean, within a day of  Republican Sen. Kevin Coughlin's unofficial announcement that he would run for governor,  the curtain went up on Act 2.  Mark Naymik, the Plain Dealer's politics writer, reported Thursday night that the scene would be played by two Coughlins: Kevin and his wife Anne.  Naymik says Anne, a physical therapist in real life, took out papers at the Secretary of State's office that would permit her to raise money for a campaign to succeed her husband in the 27th Ohio Senate District while he casts his sights on a statewide job.  (Coughlin,  of Cuyahoga Falls, will be term-limited into civilian life  in 2010.)

The only certainty with the Coughlin tandem is that Summit County GOP Chairman Alex Arshinkoff, whom Coughlin tried to kick out, will be working with his cavalry 24/7  to retire the conservative senator, once and for all.  And if you're one to paddle into political speculation, how about this scenario:  Coughlin resigns his seat early enough to have his wife fill it for some legislative experience.  All of this is not an original ploy, but Republicans really don't have much else going for them these days.