both TonyRo76 and LasVegasDave.
Posted on 08/14/2009 5:42:25 PM PDT by Clintonfatigued
Aside from a pile of money, Tom Ganley has almost nothing in common with the late Howard Metzenbaum.
Yet, in his quixotic quest to win the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate next year against favored Rob Portman, Ganley draws inspiration from Metzenbaum.
"He showed that it can be done," Ganley said in a recent interview.
Ganley, 66, is a conservative Republican from the Cleveland suburb of Brecksville who has never held elective office. Metzenbaum, who died in 2008, was a liberal Democrat from Cleveland who served in the Ohio House and Senate before being elected to the U.S. Senate in 1976, beginning a 20-year run.
Ganley got rich in the auto business; his 32 northern Ohio dealerships make him owner of the largest automotive group in the state. Metzenbaum became wealthy by co-founding a Cleveland parking-lot company.
Ganley draws a giant-killer connection to Metzenbaum. Against all odds in 1970, Metzenbaum defeated astronaut hero John Glenn for the Democratic Senate nomination. Next May, 40 years later, Ganley says he'll pull off another historic surprise.
"I'm in this 100 percent," he said. "I'm in this to win."
(Excerpt) Read more at dispatchpolitics.com ...
I’ll support either Ohio Republican in the general election, but Rob Portman is too D.C. establishment for my tastes. The widely unpopular Bush Presidency will hurt him in the general election, though it won’t make or break his candidacy.
He sounds like a good conservative and I really hope he wins.
Metzenbaum was the jerk who stated that servicemen and women had never held a real job. He is the one John Glenn dressed down.
Portman is a RINO.
My grandfather called him Metzen-BUM.
I’m leaning towards Tom Ganley, though I have concerns about his age and don’t know much about his views. What’s most important is that the Republican nominee isn’t damaged by the primary.
What say you, professor.
He lives in the next town over from me, across the valley. Bought a giganto Dodge pickup from one of his dealerships. I had no idea he was into politics!
"It's going to be a campaign on who can deliver for Ohio," Portman said. "I've done it. When I was in Congress, I worked across the aisle to get things done to help people.
Strike one: He is a lawyer
Strike two: He has been in government for two decades.
Strike three: He worked “across the aisle to get things done to help people” (he worked with the socialist to expand government social welfare programs)
Strike Four
When the GOP leadership (/S) gives us candidates like Voinibitch, DeSwine and Taxft why would we want to follow their “lead”?
The statement that he “worked “across the aisle to get things done to help people” “ is just rhetoric and posturing. I do support Tom Ganley, but if Portman is the nominee, I’ll support him and hope that Ohio conservatives do the same.
He’s almost a nieghbor. Do you know what his views are? I’m intrigued by his candidacy.
I don’t know anything about him. But,,,, I do believe he just had some of his dealerships shut down! So,,, he’s probably pissed!
I don’t know his voting record so I will trust that you are correct. But frequently it is one of the few honest words to come out of a politician’s mouth. After all horse trading is the most common of political techniques.
I do support Tom Ganley, but if Portman is the nominee, I’ll support him and hope that Ohio conservatives do the same.
I agree totally. You support your first choice in the primary and the party’s choice in the general. Your ideals do not account for much if you do not win a majority.
Changing the Republican Party from a Rockefeller party to a Goldwater party will take a long time and the primaries is where that will begin and we must be patient.
I ain’t crazy about Portman either.
But some 66 year old millionaire who’s never held office?
I agree. Portman is more electable.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.