Just like he remembered: Bob Latta coming back to Huron County

May 10—NORWALK — It was déjà vu, all over again for Bob Latta.

When U.S. Representative Robert E. Latta paid a visit to the area on May 6, it was just like home for the veteran congressman.

Latta (R-Bowling Green), represents Ohio's 5th District. When the congressional maps change, he will be back covering all of Huron County, replacing Jim Jordan (R-Urbana, 4th District) and Bob Gibbs (R-Holmes County, 7th District) — if he wins his Nov. 8 election against Democrat Craig Swartz.

Jordan has covered the northern half of Huron County, while Gibbs covered the southern half.

The new 5th District will cover Huron, Lorain, Crawford, Seneca, Wyandot, Hancock, Wood, Putnam, Henry, Paulding, Van Wert and Mercer counties.

"I think it is 185 miles east to west," Latta said. "Diagonally it is 215 miles from St. Henry to North Ridgeville ... 225 miles diagonally from Avon to the state line.

"Pretty much a straight line," he added about his new district. "One great thing coming back to Huron County is running into the folks I worked with before. Huron, Crawford and Seneca have been in the district."

Latta, first elected in 2007, covered this area until the maps changed in 2012.

Latta was in town Friday meeting with businessmen and women at Ploger Transportation, Norweco Inc., and Janotta and Herner.

"Coming into town and looking all of the houses and I knew exactly where to turn off for the (Huron County) fairgrounds," Latta said. "All of your flowering trees are doing so much better than they are home. It's nice to come back over ... been there before. It's nice to come back over.

"I like to see Berry's is still downtown."

While some things stay the same, others change.

Latta was informed Berry's has closed, but is in the process of reopening.

Other than that, he said Norwalk looks just like it did 10 years ago.

How much can Latta keep going?

"As many as the good Lord lets me," the 66-year-old said. "Our youngest is getting married in July."

Latta and his wife, Marcia, have two daughters, Elizabeth Latta, Maria Latta.

A Bluffton native, this is Latta's eighth term in the U.S. Congress. He was in the state house for 11 years and a county commissioner for six years.

"I can't do anything officially until Jan. 3," he said. "I'll be over constantly to get re-oriented.

"Driving into town it feels like I never left. All of these old big old houses. It's like 'I'm back.'"