How Strong/Powerful is the Taft Machine in Ohio???

[DemocracyInaction]

I'd like to know what people in Ohio, or at some point lived in Ohio, or familiar with Ohio politics think. I would assume there is quite a network there and am wondering if this is Ohio's version of Jeb Bush. Thoughts??

[mama]

1. Nobody respects Taft

I'm not a political insider, but the impression I get is that he's totally lame.

[liberal N proud]

2. After we get Kerry elected, the concentration will be to out Taft

I have been at a couple of Democratic meetings where it has been mentioned that Taft must go.

[farmbo]

3. The "machine" is out for repairs:Strong divisions abound in the Ohio GOP

Owing to a series of festering scandals, the Speaker of the House (a Repub) is fighting ...very publicly, I might ad... with the Sec of State (Blackwell,R), who in turn is at war with Taft over, among other things, taxes and the Gay marriage amendment.

The state machine's been virtually neutralized and Taft's favor-ability numbers are in the tank.

It remains to be seen whether B/C for Ohio can pick up the slack.

[Jeff in Cincinnati]

4. There is no Taft machine in Ohio

Even Ohio Republicans hate Bob Taft.

He's being term-limited out in the next election. It's likely that one of the four statewide office holders will run in 2006, and they're all jockeying for position and swinging elbows.

A good, strong candidate from the Democrats (Ted Strickland? Sherrod Brown?) could defeat any one of the Republican hopefuls.

[archineas]

5. taft is a non-issue

he's got the lowest approval ratings of any governor in ohio history. he can't shake the image that the state has tanked on his watch.

he's mostly invisible these days. kenneth blackwell, who's drooling over the idea of being the next gov (taft is in his 2nd of 2 possible terms), is in shrubbie's and rove's back pocket.

he's the bigger worry, since blackwell is the ohio equivalent of that horse faced troll harris, or glenda hood. on the other hand, he's being faught at every turn by great organizations like the league of women voters.

and if i'm not mistaken, after a long hard fight, only 3 rural counties out of 88 total will be using bbv. those of us in greater cleveland will still be using punch cards.

in terms of strong dems in the state who can step in to stop the horror known as the ohio state house, sherrod brown is an excellent candidate, and his name was thrown about as a possible challenger to taft during the last gubernatorial election cycle.

i actually think that the best candidate to smack the ohio gop would stephanie tubbs-jones, but she won't give up her house seat...she's VERRRRYYYYYY safe...

j

[TruthWins]

6. Taft is a Problem, Not a Solution

Bush would rather run away from Taft -- there is no Taft machine; his second term has been a disaster. (I'd say the first one, too, but it wasn't really acknowledged how bad he's been until recently.)