Free Republic

Swann endorses Matthews By: MARGARET GIBBONS, Times Herald Staff 12/22/2005 COURTHOUSE - Republican gubernatorial hopeful Lynn Swann is throwing his support behind the lieutenant governor candidacy of Montgomery County Commissioners Chairman James R. Matthews. In a letter sent this week to county GOP Chairman Ken Davis, Swann acknowledged his support for Matthews was twofold - that they were both on the same page philosophically and that Matthews' presence on the November election ballot would balance the GOP ticket. "Jim will also bring strength to the ticket in one of the most important battleground areas," said Swann in the letter. "I...

Divisive issue becoming a uniter? Blackwell tax measure seems to be taking on a whole new role By Martin Gottlieb Dayton Daily News Secretary of State Ken Blackwell's anti-tax ballot initiative has been transformed before our eyes, without changing. When he first put it forth, he was engaged in an effort to distinguish himself from other Republican politicians. Planning a run for governor in 2006, he was confronting the then-growing belief that being a Republican might not be a great advantage in that year. After all, Republicans would have been in power for about as long as one party ever...

As word of Strickland's decision spread through political circles, possible contenders for his spot in Congress began to emerge. Among them are State Reps. Chuck Blasdel, an East Liverpool Republican, and John Boccieri, a Mahoning County Democrat.

WHAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK? As the secretary of state's unofficial deadline passed, business supporters of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's "reform" agenda and an opposing coalition of Democrats and labor unions submitted millions of signatures to qualify proposed ballot initiatives. In all, registrars are verifying signatures for eight possible measures: Redistricting - The Schwarzenegger-backed measure would shift the task of redrawing legislative and congressional district boundaries from the Legislature to a panel of judges. Budget - Centerpiece of the governor's plan, the measure would enact state spending controls and let the governor unilaterally cut programs. Tenure - A third Schwarzenegger proposal would...

Local News Graf plans to face Kolbe again in 2006 BY BILL HESS Wednesday, April 27, 2005 2:04 PM MDT Herald/Review SIERRA VISTA - With a little than 16 months before the next congressional primary, former state Rep. Randy Graf will officially throw his hat into the Republican ring this week. Graf, of Green Valley, said Tuesday that he wants to have more time to raise money for his campaign against Republican incumbent Jim Kolbe for the Congressional District 8 seat. "We got a late start last time," Graf told the Herald/Review, referring to the 2004 primary campaign. On Thursday,...