Democrats See Political Promise in Ohio

[kurth]

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- In Ohio, where President Bush's ratings are low and support for scandal-scarred Gov. Bob Taft even lower, Republicans are in trouble. Which 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,'' 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,'' said Bob Bennett, the state Republican chairman. He says Republicans need to focus on new schools built and other accomplishments. ''I'm not the least bit pessimistic, but I think we have a struggle.'' Apart from the Senate race, voters will pick a new governor. That makes Ohio one of several large states -- New York, Florida, California among them -- where Democrats sense a chance to reclaim lost territory...

Neither Bush nor Taft, who is nearing the end of his final four-year term, is on the ballot this fall, but their impact is unmistakable. ''I voted for President Bush. I'm not real happy with the way things are going, although I don't admit that to everyone,'' says Sally Wangler, a Columbus resident interviewed outside a public library...

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Ohio-Stakes.html

[annabanana]

1. phf...t

Ohio is Diebold central. If they managed to flip the vote over those reforms, they will have no trouble holding onto the seats.

[AndyTiedye]

2. They Can Steal As Many Votes As They Need In Ohio. 30%+ Last November

Last November, he turned a landslide for US into a landslide for THEM.

He intends to sElect himself as Ohio's next governor.

They are going to do the same thing in California unless someone can stop them.
http://www.voteraction.org

[Donkeykick]

3. Yes.

I remember 2004 real well!:eyes: Funny thing that he feels good about running for governor, huh? :eyes:

[DFW]

4. 2004

Was inconspicuous compared with the referenda of 2005.

Certain reforms up for a vote were expected to pass 60-40 and instead went down 60-40.

Until Diebold is out of there, Democracy is banished from the state of Ohio.
Even Huey Long never had it so good.

[AndyTiedye]

8. The Referenda were Ohio's Last, Best, Hope for Democracy. Ohio is Own3d

At this point, the only reason to bother voting in Ohio
is to make them go to the trouble of stealing your vote.

At least Blackwell and his minions will know how unpopular they really are.

[saltpoint]

5. I strongly predict a hail of blue Buckeyes will bury the Red Reich

in Ohio in 06.

We win the governor's chair.

We win DeWine's seat in the Senate.

And maybe Mean Jean's House seat, too.

[ladjf]

6. The memory cards for every voting machine in Ohio are locked

up in Blackwell's office. How could that be allowed? He in in charge of the machines that will count his votes this year. That's beyond bizarre.

[DFW]

7. Not so bizarre

If that's the only way they can win elections, don't kid yourself: they'll do it again without
a moment's hesitation. They have tasted blood, and they will be back for more.

Have your garlic out and ready.......