The contenders of '08 look to Ohio

[Judi Lynn]

The contenders of '08 look to Ohio
Both parties see Buckeye State as a kingmaker
By Susan Milligan, Globe Staff | May 29, 2006

CLEVELAND -- With Ohio emerging as a pivotal battleground for the 2008 election, presidential hopefuls are visiting the Buckeye State and campaigning for local candidates, seeking to make early inroads and build relationships in the state both parties believe will determine the next occupant of the Oval Office.

The primary season is more than a year and a half away, but Ohio already has been visited by nearly a dozen potential presidential candidates, with many more appearances on the calendar this summer.

Senator John F. Kerry , Democrat of Massachusetts, visited Ohio this month, attending a town hall meeting and a commencement speech at Kenyon College, where students waited in line up to 11 hours to vote in the 2004 presidential election. Kerry's address was laden with references to his narrow loss in Ohio, which cost him the presidency.

Candidates in the past focused only on early primary states such as New Hampshire, Iowa, and South Carolina at this point in the process. But presidential hopefuls are now looking well ahead to the general election and the key role they expect Ohio to play, party officials said.
(snip/...)

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/05/29/the_contenders_of_08_look_to_ohio/

[AndyTiedye]

1. Please! Not Ohio! Not Again!

[saltpoint]

3. Andy, you posted a pic there of the loser in the Ohio gubernatorial

race in November.

But next time, put Ted Strickland in your field there. Let's go with the winners.

[AndyTiedye]

4. I Am Quite Certain That More People Will Vote for Strickland, but…

[saltpoint]

6. Then if it's truly that hopeless we should all just blow our brains out.

No one should vote. No one should do jury duty. No one should honor traffic signals.

Your position is johnny-one-note, you know. You're getting too big a kick flashing the shadow of Stalin over folks, telling them that their vote doesn't count, that it's all hopeless.

Bullcrap.

You just watch the totals in Ohio, by county, and you can cross-reference them with the Democratic Party per county if you want.

I just betcha Mr. Blackwell is going to be handed his hindend. If Blackwell winds, I'll ship you a bottle of wine of your choice. If Strickland wins, you send me a bottle. Deal?

[AndyTiedye]

19. Always Vote. At Least Make Them Go to the Trouble of Stealing It

At least Blackwell will know how many people really voted against him, even if nobody else does.

Should people wait in line for hours to try to vote, when too few machines are provided in Democratic precincts again?
Yes, if they can. Not because your vote is likely to count, but because the long lines actually get on the news.

I would very much like to see Strickland win and all the crooked Repubs get turned out and sent off to prison where they belong.

But they also know what they face if they lose power, so they are going to pull out all the stops to steal it.
They only way they will fail is if they are caught, red-handed.
Nothing short of rock-solid proof of election fraud will do.
The media will explain away even the most glaring discrepencies between polling and election returns,
and they have given up on those embarassing exit polls.

[saltpoint]

20. Andy, I'll buy you the coldest beer in town on election night even

if our side does not win, but I am optimistic about our chances.

This is more than just my anti-Republican views working here. I honestly don't believe Blackwell is as sellable to Buckeye voters as he thinks he is.

Certainly events could conspire to thwart my predictions, and I acknowledge that, but I remain the earnest optimist in this one.

I think Democrats are going to have to struggle more in other states races -- the Michigan gubernatorial race especially. That one looks like it's real iffy.

[saltpoint]

2. Ohio is going to be REAL interesting in 06, just for starters, and

not bad at all in 08.

I'm thinking it could be a blue November for Sherrod Brown and Ted Strickland, also Charlie Wilson.

I've got all ten fingers crossed 'til they turn BLUE.

[Awsi Dooger]

5. If you gave me the percentage of that Ohio senate race right now

I think I could project the national scene very accurately.

Right now, I view it as the most pivotal and bellwether race. Ohio still tilts slightly red. If we knock out an incumbent there, one without horrible approval numbers, then the national gains will be huge.

Frankly, I still don't see how Brown gets over the hump. His crossover appeal figures to be minimal and that buries him in southern Ohio.

That's the added rooting interest in this race, since you don't want a narrow defeat and wonder how a more moderate candidate like Hackett would have fared in that state.

[saltpoint]

7. Hi, Awsi Dooger. Interesting points. I'm not sure what the internal

polls are syinag right now, but I'd love to get my eyeballs on them.

DeWine has a lot of entrenched power backing him up, but it could be a year where the vote totals for Republicans are supressed because Bush and Cheney are so unpopular.

If that should happen, it could be a Celest-Metzenbaum type voter who comes out instead of a Taft-DeWine type.

[Kukesa]

12. University of Cincinnati's Ohio Poll

Shows Strickland 6 points ahead of Blackwell and DeWine 10 points in front of Brown. Link here for article in "Dayton Daily News:"

http://tinyurl.com/jrmnr

Keep in mind the poll consisted of only 698 voters and has a MOE of 3.7%.

DeWine recently sent a fund-raising letter stating Brown is trying to hide his liberal voting record and his bonding with Michael Moore and Cindy Sheehan. This will not play well down here in SW Ohio. He also states Brown's record on defense and national security is frightening. Sounds like he's ready for a brawl.

Sorry, no link for DeWine's letter; he doesn't send one to me!

[Doremus]

14. I don't see a date on those poll numbers. Rasmussen's 5/15 poll gives

Brown a 3 point lead, though probably still within the MOA. The trend, though, is that DeWine is sinking and Brown taking baby steps forward.

I will say this about Brown's campaign -- it sucks. I signed up quite awhile ago on his website to volunteer this summer and still haven't heard from them. Strickland, otoh, is running the most organized, well-run campaign I've seen in ages. I signed up on their website just as I did for Brown and I've not only been receiving daily emails of his appearance schedule, they've also called me at least a dozen times to help with one project or another.

They're better organized than the DNC too. I signed up to host a neighborhood canvas a few weeks ago and never received the promised literature. As it happened, Strickland's campaign called around that time for something else and I told them I was looking for some of the DNC literature. The woman not only found some, but took it home with her to make it easier for me to pick up.

Strickland's definitely going to win, no doubt about that. If Sherrod doesn't, he has no one to blame but himself and his pisspoor campaign.

[Kukesa]

16. Sorry, the poll's date is 5-25-06.

You can link here for the entire poll:

http://www.ipr.uc.edu/PDF/OhioPoll/op052506.pdf

Some Buckeyes believe the poll is of dubious distinction since it includes so few voters.

I have to agree with you about Brown's campaign. He's scheduling appearances everywhere but here in SW Ohio where he's needed the most. We have a lot of swing voters down here in "red-hell-land" who could make a difference.

I emailed his campaign months ago and haven't heard anything, either.

He'll get my vote but nothing else. Strickland gets my vote, my $$$, and my feet pounding on the pavement. Another good candidate in OH-3 is Stephanie Studebaker who is running against Mike Turner. I'll support her, too.

Brown gets my vote because he has a "D" after his name on the ballot.

[saltpoint]

17. Thanks for that poll info, Kukesa. I had seen two polls over the last

two weeks, one with Brown well behind and one with him narrowly ahead.

At this point I have no idea at all what's going on!

Just the same, I hope that he runs strong in Ohio and defeats DeWine. I like Brown, I like Hackett, I like ANYBODY on earth practically, over DeWine. Mike DeWine is a department store mannequin in the Bush Retail store line, and I've never had much respect for him at all.

I wouldn't miss him one bit if he were replaced in the U.S. Senate.

[sandnsea]

8. I thought Hackett was the progressive candidate

and Brown was the DLC shill. I swear I can't keep up with this place.

[cmd]

9. Brown is one of the most progressive members in Congress

He certainly has my vote.

[sandnsea]

10. Must have missed the primary

That wasn't the word around here by the Hackett supporters. He was the progressive savior of the world just a few months ago, certainly not a centrist who could appeal to the middle. Appealing to the middle is DU heresy.

[cmd]

11. You were hearing that incorrectly

The Hackett supporters were angry that Brown entered the race. One of their arguments against Brown was that he was too liberal and no one in Southwestern Ohio would vote for him. Brown is a true progressive. He has his record to show it.

[sandnsea]

15. Okay

Whatever you say. This place cracks me up. :rofl:

Yes, I know Brown is a progressive. I also know he was painted out to be a DLC shill.

[jackpan1260]

13. Brown seemed more progressive than Hackett to me

but that's just my opinion. That's over now and the choice is between Brown or Dewine.

[saltpoint]

18. My objection to DeWine is that his rubberstamping for Bush is

unnecessary. DeWine's seat would have been safer if he had shown more gumption and individuality. I'm no fan of George Voinovich, but Jesus, at least he has a PERSONALITY. I've observed DeWine for a along time and I am unable to distinguish him from a footstool.

Either Paul Hackett or Sherrod Brown must have sensed the same thing about DeWine, except of course they would be much better at it than I would be. Even so, no one should listen for sounds of wailing and weeping at my house if on November 7th DeWine loses his Senate seat.

If fact, you're all invited over for beer & pizzas!