Posted on 08/02/2005 10:20:51 PM PDT by Dane
Republican Edges Out Iraq Veteran for Ohio Congress Seat
By JAMES DAO Published: August 3, 2005
CINCINNATI, Aug 2 - A former Republican state legislator narrowly won a special Congressional election in southern Ohio on Tuesday, ending an underdog bid by her Democratic opponent to become the first combat veteran from the Iraq war to serve in Congress.
With all of the precincts reporting, Jean Schmidt, the Republican, had nearly 52 percent of the vote, edging out her challenger, Paul L. Hackett, a major in the Marine Forces Reserve, by about 4,000 votes.
"Voters declared that they support our president and approve of his leadership," Ms. Schmidt, 53, told supporters gathered at a suburban Holiday Inn late Tuesday evening. "They want us to stay the course so the enemies of freedom cannot bring their terrorism to our shores again."
SNIP
"Tonight was a victory for democracy," Mr. Hackett, 43, told supporters at a downtown Cincinnati theater. "People had a real choice." Mr. Hackett has said he expects to sign up for another tour of duty in Iraq, possibly next summer.
SNIP
Mr. Hackett called Mr. Bush a "chicken hawk" for failing to serve in Vietnam and "a cheerleader for the enemy" for challenging Islamic militants to "bring it on" against American troops. He also sharply questioned his policies on tax cuts and Social Security.
But in a nod to Mr. Bush's popularity here, Mr. Hackett used a clip of the president praising military veterans in a television commercial, prompting the Republican National Committee to issue a letter of protest against his campaign.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
"Voters declared that they support our president and approve of his leadership,"
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By voting for either since his ads said that he supported Bush's statements about serving in Iraq and implied he was on the President's side.
If this is the template of how the Dems are going to run, it is by deception and not by letting people know who and what they really are. In essence, they have confirmed they are the party of lies. I hope they come to the realization of who the "Father of Lies" is, and that they are following his example of deceit.
The Father of Lies has short term success, but long term failure. I read the Book.
A few basic points:
Hackett never really had a chance in this district. It's solidly Republican. It's a district no Democrat can ever take.
A look at the electoral map shows Hackett(a high priced personal injury lawyer from high priced Indian Hill!), won only the three most rural and economically depressed counties. Schmidt won easily in Greater Cincinnati, Clermont County (more affluent and also her own turf), and Scioto County.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio_Second_Congressional_District_Election,_2005
Hackett's advertising was slick and he presented himself well as being a supporter of our soldiers in Iraq. Schmidt, by contrast, came across poorly in her own advertising, almost like the "Grinch Who Stole Christmas". Women complained about her hairdo.
Had the playing field been level, i.e. in a district less solidly Republican, Hackett would have won.
A mediocre Republican candidate beat a Marine Corps veteran of the Iraq war running as a pro gunner. You can fool some of the people....
" You can fool some of the people...."
I don't think anyone, either Republican or Democrat, was fooled.
The Democrats were smart by running the best candidate, the most conservative they could come up with without totally walking away from what the party generally stands for.
Republicans voted for Schmidt, Democrats for Hackett and the conservative leaning center split for Schmidt except in three counties.
"Apparently, he tried to run as Dubya's soulmate."
He called Dubya an SOB in an interview how does that make him a soulmate?
"He called Dubya an SOB in an interview..." and in one of his radio spots, he included some of Bush speaking about Iraq, and in a positive way.
Deceptive, but nobody was fooled.
Towards the end, there was deceptive advertising on both sides. It really got disgusting. Same old [political] same old.
Hackett is a john french kerry clone. Saying what he really means to his whacko base and then in his advertising tries to portray himself as a conservative.
"Deceptive, but nobody was fooled. "
and thank God for that!
Deception reporting on deception. An weapon used often in the criminal's arsenal of weapons.
"Unless the Democrats start being honest about who they are and listen to the American people, they're going to have their behinds handed to them next year."
That's the problem, they are honest about who they are. To me, its such a hoot when they lose and claim they did not get their message out. Their message is their problem!
." Mr. Hackett has said he expects to sign up for another tour of duty in Iraq, possibly next summer.
Betcha he doesn't.
Unfortunately, the Republicans in DC aren't that great on the fiscally liberal side these days. I see the Libs hitting the deficit spending angle pretty hard, even though anyone with any knowledge of their history knows they would be much worse.
Nice sound bite after a loss. I wouldn't bet on him signing up for another tour in Iraq a year from now. A lot can happen between now and then. He will probably try to make another run in 2006.
It is understandable why the race was as close as it was. The Dems were able to turn out more of their voters in a race with low voter turnout.
In 2004, Bush beat Kerry in Warren County 68,037 to 26,044 (Schmidt beat Hackett 7,556 to 5,420); in Hamilton Bush beat Kerry 222,616 to 199,679 (S beat H 25,011 to 23,597); in Clermont Bush beat Kerry 62,949 to 25,887 (S beat H 17,320 to 12,439); in Brown Bush beat Kerry 12,647 to 7,140 (H beat S 3,950 to 3,100); in Adams Bush beat Kerry 7,653 to 4,281 (H beat S 2,101 to 1,911); in Scioto Bush beat Kerry 18,259 to 16,827 (H beat S 4,925 to 2,638); and in Pike Bush beat Kerry 6,520 to 5,989 (H beat S 2,659 to 1,559).
The Dems were able to get a higher percentage of turnout than the Reps, which made the race closer than it should have been. The involvement of Carville, Daschle, and the national MSM helped to energize the Dem base. It would be interesting to see how much money was spent on both sides. I wouldn't read too much into the results of a special election held in August. A win is a win.
"It would be interesting to see how much money was spent on both sides."
Yes.
The GOP was never worried. Democrats brought in their big guns. GOP brought in Bush, but only by telephone voice mail. There never was a contest except inside the heads of the few Democrats who thought they could win this. How pathetic.
The smart local Democrats knew this was a lost cause all along. I was giving them comfort to help them handle the defeat they knew all along was coming.
Didn't Rumsfeld say he wants to draw down troops to about 60K next year? I think it is probably a safe thing for Hackett to say because he probably won't be sent over there. Besides, if I were Hackett, I wouldn't so much worry about the enemy (terrorist in Iraq - not insurgents), but my fellow troops. He spent the campaign embracing and slaming the Commander in Chief. I am sure the troops want answers to his real position.
Can anyone explain why Hackett got so many votes in a supposedly Republican district?
He may have lost, but I find it worrisome he did so well.
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