Democrats see political promise in Ohio

[Judi Lynn]

Democrats see political promise in Ohio
By DAVID ESPO, AP Special Correspondent
Last Updated 12:49 am PDT Saturday, April 22, 2006

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Republicans are in trouble in Ohio, where President Bush's ratings are low and support for scandal-scarred Gov. Bob Taft even lower. That is why Democrats sound uncommonly optimistic as they look to the fall elections in the state that crushed their hopes for the White House in 2004 and has sent only Republicans to statewide political office for more than a decade.

"The voters want a change in direction. ... They don't want more Bob Taft and they don't want more George Bush," says Rep. Sherrod Brown, challenging Republican Sen. Mike DeWine in a close race that figures prominently in the Democrats' hopes for the midterm elections.

Other races are drawing attention in what already is blossoming into a campaign of unpleasantness. Up and down the ticket, Democrats hope Ohio will reward them at the same time it retains its standing as a national barometer.

"I don't think there's any question about it. This is going to be our toughest challenge yet that we've had recently," state GOP chairman Bob Bennett said. Republicans need to focus on new schools built and other accomplishments, he said. "I'm not the least bit pessimistic, but I think we have a struggle."
(snip/...)

http://www.sacbee.com/24hour/politics/story/3267898p-12062232c.html

[jamesinca]

1. and repugs see diebold nt

[OneBlueSky]

2. it's very likely that the Democrats won Ohio in 2004 . . .

didn't make any difference . . . they just rigged the results . . .

[liberalnurse]

3. So, we deal with that and

get more voters to the polls. I won't give up, I won't surrender.

[Tarheel_Dem]

4. i'm with you L.N.,

there has to be a major "get out the vote" in ohio. and we have to have adequate poll workers to monitor locations, especially in heavily democratic precincts. i have a feeling republicans, knowing how big their challenge is gonna be, will be contesting & hasseling a lot of voters, especially in black precincts.

[Jane Austin]

9. It's most important to get local Dems to get out the vote.

I believe it was shown that the way the fundies and other republicans got out the vote in Ohio was a quiet neighbor-to-neighbor effort.

The out-of-state campaign workers who work so hard to get out the vote aren't nearly as effective.

I wonder if local campaign people can assign out-of-staters to answer phones, do scheduling and other office work, while freeing up locals to talk to their neighbors.

[hollowdweller]

5. If the Dems do something for the working folks and unions they could win

I think they lost a lot of votes there when the Dems went with the GOP on NAFTA and worker rights and all the country folk started voting on wedge issues instead

[doc03]

8. You're certainly right on that, I work in a Union steel plant

and the Rank and File worker feels betrayed by Clinton passing NAFTA and his lack of support for the steel industry. There is no doubt in my mind that is why we lost Ohio. Maybe the election was stolen but it should not have been even close enough to steal anyway. As far as Democrats winning in Ohio, I think Bob Ney will hang on and the Republicans will take Ted Strickland's seat in Congress. The Republicans are saturating the media with adds against Charlie Wilson that are going unanswered. The Repugs also have another strategy, they are running adds against Bob Carr as being too liberal he is Wilson's opponent in the primary. Their strategy is by portraying him as too liberal the Democratic base will support him therefore splitting the Democratic vote and setting up Carr for November. I hope I'm wrong about this.

[Jane Austin]

10. What can Dems do now with majorities in Congress or the state legislature?

I'm serious, is there anything Dems can do for labor and workers now?

[dusty64]

6. If the rethugs

commit vote fraud this November it will have to be on a scale so massive that they WILL get caught this time. Ensuring a fair vote is job 1 and they will lose Ohio this year if accurate counts are allowed.

[0007]

7. These are the kind of stories I like to read about!

The fight has just begun.

[maddezmom]

11. kick

[Judi Lynn]

12. GOP missteps give hope to Democrats

GOP missteps give hope to Democrats
Party is optimistic about capitalizing on voter discontent in November’s election
Monday, April 24, 2006
David Espo
ASSOCIATED PRESS

In Ohio, where President Bush’s ratings are low and support for scandal-scarred Gov. Bob Taft even lower, Republicans are in trouble.

That is why Democrats sound uncommonly optimistic as they look ahead to the fall elections in the state that crushed their hopes for the White House in 2004 and has sent only Republicans to statewide political office for more than a decade.

"The voters want a change in direction. ... They don’t want more Bob Taft and they don’t want more George Bush," said Rep. Sherrod Brown, challenging Republican Sen. Mike De-Wine in a close race that figures prominently in the Democrats’ hopes for the midterm elections.

Other races are drawing attention in what is blossoming into a campaign of unpleasantness. "I don’t think there’s any question about it. This is going to be our toughest challenge yet that we’ve had recently," said Robert T. Bennett, the state Republican chairman. He thinks Republicans need to focus on new schools and other accomplishments. "I’m not the least bit pessimistic, but I think we have a struggle."
(snip/...)

http://www.columbusdispatch.com/?story=dispatch/2006/04/24/20060424-D6-00.html

[Notoverit]

13. Like "giving comfort to the enemy" - always negative titles on Dems

No matter what the context. MSM ALAYS writed from the GOP POV!

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

15. "writed"??

Please tell me you were being sarcastic. :cry:

[sharp_stick]

14. Good, keep it up GOP

The more that they jam their feet into their massive mouths the better it will be. I'm starting to hope for a perfect storm like 1994.

It's going to be tough, really tough, but there is a chance that the house and senate will both be in democratic hands after November.

[jojo54]

16. Let's hope so.

'Cause if we don't regain control of the houses, we can hang it up. By the time Jan. '09 comes around, there will be no more middle class, only the haves (10% of the country) and the have none (the rest of us)!

[Lasher]

17. Conflicting poll results suggest close race

On April 1 Rasmussen showed DeWine ahead by 3%.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/2006/State%20Polls/March%202006/Ohio%20Senate%20March.htm

But a March 30 WSJ poll showed Brown ahead by 8.9%.

http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/info-flash05a.html?project=elections06-ft&h=495&w=778&hasAd=1&mod=blogs

[tanyev]

18. Saying something embarrassing on live TV is a "misstep".

Losing millions of dollars of Worker's Comp Funds and selling your votes to a powerful lobbyist are examples of wholesale corruption.