YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Ex-congressman Jim Traficant says he may try to return to Congress. Traficant was elected to nine terms as a Democrat from Youngstown before being sent to prison for seven years on convictions for racketeering, bribery, obstruction of justice and tax evasion.

Thursday Traficant called reporters together to announce he may have another go at it.  Traficant plans to circulate petitions in three congressional districts and based on the response he gets he'll decide whether to run for Congress.

The mystery is if he runs, which local congressman will he choose to challenge.  Right now Traficant isn't saying, but it's likely the choices are the 17th Congressional district now held by Tim Ryan, the 6th district where Charlie Wilson is Congressman or possibly the 18th district belonging to John Boccieri.

Traficant said he is authorizing Linda Kovalchick to circulate petitions in those three districts.  Traficant said he would assess "what support may exist" for him.  "I will determine my future action predicated on that activity and I will make a determination, probably but not limiting myself to the end of January." he said.  Traficant is not saying what party affiliation he may choose to run under.

A possible Congressional run is not the only thing the convicted ex-congressman wanted to talk.  He talked about his plans for his family business, knows as The Traficant Company, to build an Indian casino and resort some where in the Mahoning Valley.  The 100-million dollar project would be in conjunction with the Itana Indian Nation.  Traficant said the goal the project was to create jobs.

Mahoning Democratic Party Chairman Dave Betras threw his support behind the new faces of politics in the Mahoning Valley.  Betras said "I think as a community we have very good congressman in John Boccieri, Tim Ryan and Charlie Wilson."  Betras said the three were "the type of leadership beyond reproach, very ethical" and would "lead this Valley in to the next decade."

Betras says while he's not opposed to casino gambling, he doesn't think state law provides for any Indian tribe to produce a valid historical claim in Ohio that would allow construction of such a casino.

Click the video player above to listen to the unedited Traficant press conference.