Ohio's SoS & State Auditor where Republicans are focusing ('08 & CYA)

by Jerome Armstrong, Tue Oct 17, 2006 at 05:16:41 AM EDT

It's been confirmed by multiple sources that the RNC and RSSC have given up on DeWine in Ohio. The Q poll out this morning shows Brown up 12% over DeWine. The Republican candidate for Governor is off the airwaves and the RGA will not provide any further funds to Blackwell. The RSCC has pulled ads from congressional Democrats they earlier challenged, in the 6th and the 13th. Democrats could well take 3-5 congressional seats in Ohio away from Republicans. The State Senate is likely in play, and big gains are possible in the State House.

With their backs against the wall, what's next? I heard from an Ohio source that Rove was spotted on a flight from Cincy to DC on Sunday night. And that Rove, not scheduled for any public events in Ohio, most likely went into Ohio to relay the bad news to the Republicans there and he then leaked the story to Nagourney to signal Republican donors to focus on other races (like Virginia). So the source thought, and it sounds plausible given what's unfolded.

(Update [2006-10-17 21:11:22 by Jerome Armstrong]: I got conflicting sources about how Nagourney got the info, and since it's turned out so sour for Republicans that connection is not tenable. Regardless, he got the story right and it's bad news for Ohio Republicans.)

Because now it's emerging that the Ohio Republican Party is also shifting it's resources with it's own "firewall strategy" by not coming forward to fill the advertising void for Blackwell and Dewine, but instead channel their resources into Ohio's statewide contests for secretary of state and state auditor. And they now have the ads up to try and Willie Hortonize (WMV) the Democratic candidate for SoS, Jennifer Brunner. This is about '08 and CYA. Republicans are trying to maintain control of the SoS position in Ohio for the 2008 elections. And given the years of financial corruption, Ohio Republicans would like to maintain control of state auditor to keep a lid on a boatload of dirty laundry.

The Secretary of State Project has the latest on the SoS races across the nation.

Tags: 2008, Jennifer Brunner, Karl Rove, Ohio Republican Party (all tags)

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Re: Ohio's SoS

Well I hope the democrats are throwing money at the SoS race. After what happened last time around if I was Hillary or any of the other serious contenders for 2008 I would be providing whatever funds were needed because Blackwell's antics kept Bush in the White House and the last thing we need is a similar episode in 2008.

by kundalini 2006-10-17 05:35AM | 0 recs

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Re: Ohio's SoS

I certainly agree with investing in the Ohio SoS race, especially considering that the whole state GOP is going down in a big ball of flames this year, but on the good side, it should be much harder to get away with Blackwellian shenanigans with a Dem Governor and a Dem State Senate. Also, it certainly appears that Blackwell's mass disenfranchisement campaign in '04, along with all of Taft's issues, has touched a nerve among Ohio voters.

This will be interesting to watch in '08. To me, this is a state where a 3rd party candidate could make some serious headway, especially a conservative 3rd party if someone like the Libertarian or Constitution Party actually fields a credible candidate.

by NJIndependent 2006-10-17 05:53AM | 0 recs

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Protect the sweep

keep pushing the firewall. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF VOTER'S WERE WILLFULLY DISENFRANCHISED IN 2004. As well as the millions who supported Kerry by the shameful strategies in OHIO. Americans forced to stand outside and in long lines and to literally have their votes thrown out, as many provisional ballots were never counted.

Keep fighting Ohians, you've done a spectacular job, you are on the cusp of bringing down one of the most corrupt state government in the nation.

by gasperc 2006-10-17 06:22AM | 0 recs

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Re: Ohio's SoS & State Auditor

The reason they are focusing on SoS and Auditor is because those two offices, along with the Governor, make up the Redistricting Commission. All we have to do is win one of the two offices and then that person, along with Governor-to-be Strickland, will make the ultimate decisions about drawing the new General Assembly and Congressional districts after the 2010 Census. This is all about 2010, not 2008.

by Hoos On First 2006-10-17 06:26AM | 0 recs

4a2fab88-ed3b-47a4-8f14-3ec8a24504ac_normal

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Re: Ohio's SoS & State Auditor

To ignore '08 ramifications would be absurd. Strickland would still have to win re-election, as would the other office holders. That sounds more like a '10 battlefield.

by Jerome Armstrong 2006-10-17 06:48AM | 0 recs

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Re: Ohio's SoS &amp;amp; State Auditor

There are 2006 ramifications as well. I'm working with 5 Democratic state house candidates here in Ohio and maybe I'm biased, but more focus needs to be paid to them as well.

These are the people who, if we can get them elected to the state house, will be coming up the ranks to challenge in Congressional candidates as well as other races.

The focus here by the powers that be is all at the top of the ticket and very little else.

by Linwood Campaign Services 2006-10-17 06:54AM | 0 recs

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Re: Ohio's SoS &amp; State Auditor

"All we have to do is win one of the two offices and then that person, along with Governor-to-be Strickland, will make the ultimate decisions about drawing the new General Assembly and Congressional districts after the 2010 Census."

True enough, but redistricting won't take place until 2011, after the 2010 census data are available and after the 2010 elections have taken place. It would be an advantage for Democrats to go into the 2010 elections for governor, auditor, and SoS as incumbents, but nothing will be decided until 2010.

by KTinOhio 2006-10-17 03:59PM | 0 recs

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Re: Ohio's SoS &amp; State Auditor

I thought the redistricting commission had 5 members?

Really, the whole process should be reformed, as Reform Ohio Now tried last year. Even the Columbus Dispatch supports it (perhaps because they see the writing on the wall). But we need to control the legislature and redistricting commission to force the Rs into accepting a nonpartisan redistricting system. Without the threat of losing several Republicans (Turner, Tiberi, Latourette, and Regula all have districts that could and should easily be made more Democratic not to mention the 15th and maybe 1st and 18th), I don't think they'd allow it.

by Sandwich Repairman 2006-10-17 07:01PM | 0 recs

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SoS project question

Don't want be an O/T nuisance, but do we consider Deborah Bowen, Dem for SoS in California, either safe or hopeless? She'll be in a positiion to oversee as many Dem votes as anyone. And also a state where we are going to see more and more efforts to keep Latinos out of the electorate.

by janinsanfran 2006-10-17 06:52AM | 0 recs

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Dirty tricks in Ohio again?

There was an editorial in the NYT this morning about an attempt to get Strickland thrown off the ballot on a technicality. I haven't seen any posts about this, how serious a threat is it?

by evap 2006-10-17 07:00AM | 0 recs

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Re: Dirty tricks in Ohio again?

I saw that editorial as well, and was very surprised not to see any posts about the subject. Blackwell is behind it of course, and it really shines a light on why SoS matters!

I hope to see a post from the MyDD writers on this subject.

by jnfr 2006-10-17 07:49AM | 0 recs

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Re: Dirty tricks in Ohio again?

I believe the NYT was incorrect. According to a Cincinnati Enquirer story over the weekend, the issue is merely whether Strickland is legally registered to vote, not whether he can be a candidate. (A similar complaint was filed against a Republican primary challenger to Mean Jean Schmidt earlier this year and was dismissed.) The link to the article about Strickland is below.

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a rticle?AID=20061014/NEWS01/610140420-1 /back01

by OHIOJOE 2006-10-17 09:09AM | 0 recs

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Ohio Down Ballot Races

The only polling I've seen on these races was early last month and showed the Dems leading except against Montgomery. Hope Gov. Strickland has the State Patrol investigate her as soon as he takes office, otherwise she will block any investigations thru the AG office. BlueOhio2006

by Demo Dan in Dayton 2006-10-17 07:11AM | 0 recs

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Re: Ohio Down Ballot Races

Ohio residents can donate up to $50 to any candidate or candidates for state government and take that amount as a credit on that year's taxes. (So you'll get back every cent you donate.) Married couples who file jointly can donate up to $100. So this would be as good a time as any to send some cash to Jennifer Brunner (SoS), Barbara Sykes (Auditor), Richard Cordray (Treasurer), or Marc Dann (AG). Brunner, Sykes, and Cordray are leading in the polls, while Dann is trailing. The Auditor and Secretary of State serve on the redistricting panel, along with the governor and a state legislator from each party.

I coughed up my $100 last night. No matter; I'll get it back in the spring.

by KTinOhio 2006-10-17 03:54PM | 0 recs

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The mechanics of Treason

Treason involves going after the little details. The map of Fort Duquesne. The plans for a bomb. And doing it silently.

Rove there in Ohio, the "diebold capital of the world" - to make sure that the one person who has access to the unsecured, flat MDB file that stores the entire election results of 2004 or any other election means that the simple little files that mean so much are what he cares about.

Should those files fall into the hands of patriotic, free thinking, non partisan americans, or democrats - what would happen? How will Karl Rove be remembered?

by heyAnita 2006-10-17 07:40AM | 0 recs

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Just how bad is it with the GOP?

Corruption on this scale, where you start fighting for key down ballot races to cover your ass, is frightening.

In all seriousness, the main argument for impeaching Bush is going to be so a serious DoJ can emerge to investigate everything the GOP did during this period.

by jcjcjc 2006-10-17 09:23AM | 0 recs