Posted on 08/26/2005 5:01:59 PM PDT by Theodore R.
Ohio GOP Continues Downward Slide by John Gizzi Posted Aug 26, 2005
As scandals continue to swirl around Ohio Republicans, chances are increasing that next year Democrats will capture the governorship, a Senate seat, and at least one seat in the U.S. House.
Republican Gov. Bob Taft pleaded no contest this week to four misdemeanor charges that he failed to disclose, as legally mandated, 52 gifts of golf outings, meals and hockey tickets. Taft could have been sentenced to two years in jail, but a judge let him off with a $4,000 fine.
Taft’s crimes, however, are sure to haunt the three Republicans seeking the nomination to succeed him in 2006 and may destroy the GOP’s chances of retaining its hold on all Ohio statewide offices as well as their majorities in both houses of the state legislature. Democrats are also certain to focus fire on the GOP for the ongoing investigation of coin dealer Thomas Noe, a longtime Republican contributor into whose enterprises the state has invested millions of state employee pension funds. Noe is the subject of a probe for allegedly stealing state funds.
“All of the negative headlines about Taft and Noe are getting tied to Republicans in general,” says Brian Berry, former executive director of the Ohio Republican Party. “Rest assured, state and national Democrats will go all-out to win state offices next year, not just to help Hillary Clinton or whoever the Democratic nominee is in ’08, but to control the redistricting process by 2011.”
In Ohio, congressional and state legislative districts are drawn by a panel composed of the governor, secretary of state, state auditor, and one legislator from each major party.
For the first time since 1996, Republican Rep. Bob Ney will face a stiff Democratic challenger in Ohio’s 18th District. Last week, Chillicothe Mayor Joe Sulzer made it clear he would campaign against corruption and the incumbent’s links to indicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Along with taking a trip to play golf in Scotland allegedly financed by Abramoff, Ney has admitted winning $34,000 playing two hands of cards at a casino during a 2003 trip to London.
Republican Sen. Mike DeWine, a once-strong conservative who has drifted left, is also vulnerable in 2006. John Hritz, a former president of the AK Steel Co. in Middletown, Ohio, announced last week he was exploring a primary challenge to DeWine. Hritz’s position on most issues is unknown, but he describes himself as a conservative, and has been critical of DeWine for making a deal to preserve judicial filibusters and for being “too liberal on guns.” John Gizzi is Political Editor of HUMAN EVENTS
And all self inflicted.
The Clintons sold overnights in the Lincoln bedroom for more money than 3 average Americans make a year. That was per night.
Dinners with the President... make that check out to such-and-such organization.
I wonder how much the Clintons have collected in perks since they've been out of the White House. I'm sure they still have a positive balance with most of these organizations.
We Ohio republicans deserve everything we get. Shame on us for letting the country club set call the shots. Take your money and votes elsewhere. The world will go on...
You let a rino run your state party, and you will do nothing but lose voters and power.
It's been shown again and again across the country. When will the GOP learn their lesson?
Oh wait, they're called the "stupid party" for a reason - they fail to learn from their repeated mistakes.
By Democrat standards, none of that sort of thing is criminal.
I still don't think DeWhiner is going to lose.
I think that Blackwell is such a change in both demeanor and appearance than Bubba Bob Taft that he stands a chance to win as well....
all is not lost. Blackwell seems to be a true Conservative. I would like to see one come up against DeWhiner, but lacking that, I think he will end up returning to DC in January of 07.
If Hillary can win Ohio, she is the next president ---- unless we can stop her with INDICTING HILLARY.
The Democrats have a very good chance of winning the governorship and a Senate seat in 2006 in Ohio. The RINO-controlled state party (led by Taft and DeWine) is giving CONSERVATIVE voters plenty of reasons to stay home.
Blackwell is going to have a very difficult balancing act to win. Like Al Gore, he has to distance himself from his predecessor, but also stay "loyal" to the party. I don't envy him. Blackwell is an honorable man and a good choice.
Taft should do the right thing and step down.
The GOP impeaching him would be really really ugly.
Taft should do the right thing and step down.
The GOP impeaching him would be really really ugly.
And Kerry is the next Attorney General
No kidding. Very disappointing. It's a miracle Bush did so well there last November. It's total implosion by Pubbie politicians in Ohio.
Hillary will play awful in Ohio she is anti gun rights, pro late term abortions, pro illegals, pro big govt with her health care plan, hillary is the second biggest pork spender in congress behind corzine.
Paul Hackett ran on being pro gun the opposite of hillary's position and being for fiscal restraint the opposite of hillary.
Positive thinking has nothing to do with it - We need Ohio, you folks need to fix it and fast, you have a year (three for the pres.) - do something.
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