Ohio voters down on GOP

[OhioChick]

Blackwell leads Petro, but Democrats hold edge in governor's race
Sunday, April 30, 2006
Mark Naymik
Plain Dealer Politics Writer
Secretary of State Ken Blackwell has an imposing 21 percentage-point lead over Attorney General Jim Petro in the Republican Party's expensive and divisive gubernatorial primary, a Plain Dealer survey of party members shows.

But while Blackwell's advantage, 50 percent to Petro's 29 percent, strongly suggests he will win the party's nomination, it may not be much of a prize beyond Tuesday's primary.

Ohio voters say they are unhappy with Republicans -- from Gov. Bob Taft to President Bush -- and prefer to see a Democrat occupy the governor's mansion, a broader survey of frequent voters shows.

Underscoring that point, voters say Democrats are better suited than Republicans -- 41 percent to 28 percent -- to deal with the issue of taxes and government spending, typically the GOP's bread-and-butter issue.

http://www.cleveland.com/open/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1146386048269970.xml&coll=2

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[skylinepro]

2. Remember Blackwell counts the votes

Blackwell can still win. 2004 proved it. Don't forget the words of Blackwell's soulmate, Josef Stalin: "Those who cast the votes decide nothing. Those that count the votes decide everything."

[Zorra]

3. Welcome to DU, skylinepro!

:hi:

[Bill McBlueState]

4. This is how you win a governorship

Settle on a candidate early, and let the other side self-destruct in a contentious, expensive primary battle. It's what Massachusetts Republicans do to Massachusetts Democrats all the time.

[iconoclastNYC]

6. You are 100% WRONG

The lack of primary opposition is the main reason our party is viewed as spineless.

The people that are picked are rarely progressive. More often than not they are corporate sycophants from the DLC. These DINOS (Democrats In Name Only) join with Republicans to pass anti-middle class bills like the aweful bankruptcy bill. They vote for far-right extremists like Alito and Roberts. They certify bogus election results out of Ohio and Flordia. Not one Senator joined Boxer in contesting the Ohio electors in 2004, and no senators contested Florida in 2000.

Primaries are good for the party, it gives an opportunity for the PEOPLE to alter the makeup of thier party and thier Congress.

When the party elite and corporate funded thinktanks anoint candidates to run unopposed we wind up with a Congress that caters to Corporatists, the DLC, and the status quo.

It's time to lay to rest this notion that every Democrat is good for our party. There are bad Democrats and there are good Democrats.

[Ohio Joe]

7. While I agree with you, I do have to admit...

That i'm really loving watching the republicans bash the crap out of each other in their ads.

[Bill McBlueState]

9. does it make you feel better to lead off a post like that?

Starting off with "You are 100% WRONG" means I'm pretty much going to ignore everything else you have to say.

I stand by my contention. Specifically, Massachusetts would likely have a Democratic governor if in 2002, the entire party had supported its candidate as early as the Republicans got behind theirs.

[iconoclastNYC]

12. I'm not afraid to call people wrong on semi anonymous message boards

I will never been a diplomat.

Sorry if you took offense.

[survivor999]

5. Great!

:)

[0rganism]

8. Then 41-28 will be the margin by which Blackwell wins the governorship

Blackwell's bunch tabulates the votes and programs the ballots. Easy enough just to switch the columns like they did for the constitutional election reform amendments. Ohio campaigns are pretty much a charade at this point.

[DUHandle]

10. To quote...

Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na.
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na.
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na.
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na.

[LittleWoman]

11. Nasty and negative ads

run by both Blackwell and Petro will likely stay in some voters minds after the primary and that can't be good for which ever repub wins the primary. If you don't live in Ohio you are missing some great negative ads. My personal favorite is the Petro "hypocrite" ad against Blackwell which does not even mention Petro at all. It is my guess that it will stick long after tomorrow's primary. Blackwell has countered with his own hypocrite ad, but it is not nearly as good. I love to watch Ohio republicans go after each other's throats! In the mean time Strickland is free to talk about issues and remain above the fray.