Test of Bush's (un)Popularity on Aug 2nd in Ohio 2nd district

[MeDeMax]

Do you suppose the repubs in congress are wondering whether the prez is still as politically invincible, as they once thought he was ?

They may find out sooner than you think.

If he isn't so invincible anymore, they may be inclined to cast their votes in congress based on their conscience or a majority opinion of their constituents, as opposed to the party line, esp if they are seeking re-election in Nov 2006.

Well, on August 2nd 2005, if Democrat Paul Hackett wins against repub Jean Schmidt in Ohio's 2nd district, a solid repub district for decades, repub members of congress will realize that the prez is so out of touch with mainstream america that their party was unable to defend one of his core constituencies.

Which could have a ripple effect dramatically changing the political dynamics in DC and around the country.

Paul Hackett is trailing his opponent, in fundraising, by over 400k at last count, perhaps by as much as half a million by now.

While Iraq returnee Paul has been running with determination on small contributions from you and me, Jean has been picking up $10,000 checks from who's who in the repub party (Hastert, DeLay, Reynolds, ...).

See a report in the Cincinnati Enquirer below - "GOP candidate has raised $406K more than Hackett so far":

<http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050722/NEWS01/507220384/1056>


As you probably figured out by now, Hackett needs our support badly, right now that is campaign contributions so he can air ads in the district.

Let us chip in what we each can afford to this potentially pivotal and momentus race.


Hackett's campaign page:

http://HackettForCongress.com/


Donate to Hackett's race:

http://www.actblue.com/list/hackett


Let's reclaim Ohio's 2nd district.

Hackett's campaign could also use our help by having the word spread to other political forums besides DU. Thank you in advance for your help in spreading the word.

[OzarkDem]

1. Watch for an increase in terror alerts

particularly in Ohio.

Are there any polls available yet?

[MeDeMax]

6. no polls (probably a good thing)

I haven't seen any polls, but the race has been reported in many major newspapers across the country. Search google news for "Paul Hackett".

Perhaps it is a good thing to not have people poll-watching as we did at the last election.

[MeDeMax]

19. primary results

for anyone interested.

The top candidates:

Republicans

Jean Schmidt -- 11,486 votes 28.37%
Bob McEwen -- 10,781 26.63
Tom Brinkman -- 8,554 21.13
Pat DeWine -- 5,041 12.45
Eric Minamyer -- 1,940 4.79

Democrats

Paul Hackett 7,196 votes 56.19%
Victoria W Wulsin 3,548 27.71
Charles Sanders 1,158 9.04


Pat DeWine (son of Ohio Sen. Mike DeWine) came in 4th in spite of a very well financed primary run.

Wonder how Paul can use that to his advantage.

[bluestateguy]

2. I'm being realistic here

He could declare a symbolic victory of sort by winning over 40% of the vote. This is a REALLY Republican district. If he wins over 40%, then he is well positioned for a real run in 2006, when the turnout will be higher.

[MeDeMax]

3. district is repub - yes, candidate is strong too

Paul's candidacy rhymes with all the points the prez made for people electing him at the last election -

"We are in a war, support our troops" (by electing me),

"Our troops are the best thing" (Paul just finished serving there),

He is a gun owner and clean. Jean is fighting back allegations of accepting improper gifts.

So there is a real hope that Paul will win.

This is also the first test of how people in Warren county felt about their BOE keeping dem observers and the press out of ballot counting using terror alerts and homeland security as excuses.

[roseBudd]

4. Good to be realistic but how about sneaky? We registered in Cincinnati...

10s of thousands of urban voters who voted for Kerry. Hamilton County was actually embarrassing for the GOP. Without Mt. Washington and Anderson Township Kerry won Hamilton.

Now say GOP voters assume Schmidt is going to trounce Hackett and their turnout is low. But Hamilton County minority and urban voters turnout. It could be a stealth election victory.

If it was up to me I would turn out the urban likely dem voters with radio ads on select stations AND most important of all old fashioned election vehicles with prerecorded messages and smiling attractive women waving perferably from convertibles driving through urban neighborhoods.

For Kerry I used white shoe polish to write Vote Nov. 2 and Bush Gotta Go on my car windows and I drove around for 4 straight days playing Eminem's Mosh really loud and honking and waving a Kerry/Edwards church fan out my sun roof. I got lots of positive affirmation from virtually everyone who saw me. In fact 4 very young teens flagged me down and asked me to take them to volunteer and I drove them to Young Voter Alliance.

[MeDeMax]

7. a stroke of pure genius

your strategy was.

Admittedly I was never that bold, but I am not a smiling attractive woman either :-)

[chieftain]

5. During Watergate, there was also a special election

in one of Cincinnati's congressional districts as well. In a rock solid Republican stronghold, Tom Luken , a Democrat won and sent a message that Democrats, Independents and even Republicans were fed up with Nixon. I am sending a contribution to Hackett as soon as I finish typing this because I want history to repeat itself.

[MeDeMax]

10. wow ! that is some serious nostalgic but

eeriely relevant history, I didn't know until you mentioned it.

The year before, Democrat Charlie Luken's decision to retire from Congress after a single term -- after the filing deadline in his 1992 re-election campaign -- produced a special election in Hamilton County's other congressional district ultimately won by Democrat David Mann. Luken had won the seat in 1990 when his father, Tom Luken, retired after a 14-year congressional career.

Before that race, it had been 16 years since the last open congressional contest in Hamilton County, prompted by Republican Rep. William Keating's decision to leave Washington to become publisher of the Cincinnati Enquirer. In the special 1974 election to replace him, waged at the height of the Watergate scandal, Tom Luken narrowly defeated Gradison in a nationally watched contest widely seen as a referendum on President Nixon's fate.

<...snip...>

"Who'll follow Portman?"

<http://www.cincypost.com/2005/03/18/portsucc031805.html>

[chieftain]

11. I lived there during the Watergate era, so

a lot of what is happening now reminds me of the earlier time.I do not begin to hope that Little George will have to resign like Nixon.But I do believe his regime will end up being thought of in the same way as the Trick's.
BTW, I just did contribute to the Hackett campaign. I wish him luck.

[MeDeMax]

16. not to sound too optimistic

but I don't think he can last till 2008 going the way he is.

He'll have to give up something to make peace with the dems and people.

I am betting it happens before Nov 2006 knocks...lets see :-)

Thank you for your insights, btw.

[chieftain]

17. 2006 is the key. If we take back at least one

house and regain the power to investigate, even the MSM will be forced to report on how despicable this regime has been. That will be our ticket back in 2008. That's my hope and prayer.

[MeDeMax]

18. also need Ohio back

we desperately need Ohio back, can't keep up the heat here if it continues to be held by the repukes.

[MeDeMax]

8. oh boy, since Hackett has the decorations

of a war veteran, the race isn't about supporting the troops or war on terror, it is about abortion.

Or so hope the repukes:

"Abortion seen as key issue in 2nd District race"
"Hackett hopes Iraq service also will be a factor"

<http://www.chillicothegazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050722/NEWS01/507220301/1002>


"Candidate puts focus on personal freedom"

<http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050723/NEWS01/507230343>

[MeDeMax]

9. Ohio 2nd district, Aug 2nd, election notice

The Cincinnati Enquirer

Editorials Notice: There's an election coming Aug. 2

If you vote in every election and are in tune with all the issues of Ohio's 2nd Congressional District, then skip this editorial. It's going to sound like a broken record to you.

But if you are a registered voter who does not plan to get out and vote Aug. 2, we want to change your mind - even coax you. Oh, yes, there is an election Aug. 2, and this is an important one.

The person chosen to represent the district in the U.S. House will help set the nation's course in the war on terror, on Social Security and health care reform, on tax policy and on every other issue of national importance.

The 2nd District includes parts of Hamilton, Warren and Scioto counties, and all of Clermont, Brown, Adams and Pike counties.

<...snip...>

<http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050723/EDIT01/507230337/1020/EDIT>


IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS

Second District voters can call their county boards of elections to find out where to vote:

Hamilton County: [phone]

Clermont County: [phone]

Warren County: [phone]

Brown County: [phone]

Adams County: [phone]

Pike County: [phone]

Scioto County: [phone]

[daa]

12. And the winner - DIEBOLD again. eom

[MeDeMax]

15. perhaps not this time...

Article published Tuesday, July 19, 2005

"Elections chief punished for taking check"

"Franklin County official accepted $10,000 on behalf of GOP from Diebold consultant"

By JIM PROVANCE
BLADE COLUMBUS BUREAU

COLUMBUS - The Franklin County Board of Elections yesterday docked its executive director a month's pay for accepting a $10,000 check in his office last year from a Diebold Inc. consultant seeking county business.

Matt Damschroder accepted the check on behalf of the county Republican Party.

<...snip...>

<http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050719/NEWS09/507190397/-1/NEWS>

[Warren DeMontague]

13. Never Fear- Ken Blackwell is still around to make sure things don't

"get out of hand" heh, heh, heh... right?

[MeDeMax]

14. perhaps,

wondering how he might do that in the 2nd district, since they recently made sure every voter in the district could vote with little or no delay for the prez.

I suspect this area was overpopulated with voting machines, as they deprived Columbus & Cleveland districts of the machines.

[liberaliraqvet26]

20. There are a lot more Iraq Vet Dems...

the they would like us to believe. Many of us are preparing to run one day.

GO HACKETT!!!

[MeDeMax]

24. I look forward to hearing

about more and more dem. vets, iraq or otherwise, running.

There is no better truth serum for the public at large than having an individual who has served stand up and say it is ok to ask the tough questions.

[roseBudd]

21. We should be constantly repeating the charges of "culture of corruption"..

in OH state politics extends to Schmidt.

[MeDeMax]

23. Schmidt & coingate

if Schmidt is involved with Noe or coingate think they are holding the info until after the election ?

Like Taft know about situation in Sept but decided to keep wraps on it until after the election.

[roseBudd]

25. Schmidt attended a Monday night football Bengals game with a lobbyist...

who also took her party to a nice restaurant and failed to disclose it.

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050708/NEWS01/507090320


Luxury seats to the Oct. 25 Monday night football game cost $300, and the total tab for the evening, which included dinner at an Italian restaurant, topped $5,000.

Because of a lobbyist's involvement, the event falls under the state law that prohibits lawmakers from accepting gifts from lobbyists valued at more than $75, Bledsoe said.

snip

The evening actually was paid for by Chiron Corp., a company based in Emeryville, Calif., that develops products to fight cancer and other diseases, including cystic fibrosis. Chiron bought a block of luxury box seats from Esiason, whose son has cystic fibrosis.

Before the game, Esiason met with the lawmakers and a Chiron lobbyist about the importance of the state Bureau for Children with Medical Handicaps and the need to pass Senate Bill 250.

The bill called for the creation of a state cystic fibrosis task force. It passed in December.

[NoBushSpokenHere]

22. Until we have election reform, no amount of campaigning will help

We ALL need to be working on election reform and the investigations into 2004 if we ever want to win any more elections. You can start by reading some of these posts:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=203

Also, in Ohio check out the reform threads on http://www.ohiohonestelections.org

[MeDeMax]

27. but we need to win a few elections to have reform --- n/t

[MeDeMax]

26. DEMS from northern Ohio heading down to help Hackett

some dems from the greater cleveland area are heading down to district 2 to help Hackett's campaign in the last few days before the election.