This morning's Columbus Dispatch has a letter to the editor from a former Republican candidate for Ohio's 15th district, John Adams, who explains how he was approached to drop out of the primary to clear the way for Steve Stivers, Republican and former bank lobbyist. Adams did not drop out of the primary. Another candidate, David Ryon, a former Republican turned Constitutional candidate, had also been approached to drop out.

Dispatch:

...On Oct. 28, 2009, Doug Priesse, chairman of the Franklin County Republican Party, asked to meet with me concerning my candidacy.

During our meeting, he pointed out that Steve Stivers, a Republican candidate for the same office, would prefer “to conserve his money and efforts” for the general election in November 2010 and not be subjected to a primary campaign....

......According to Ryon, Stivers met with him the next day to discuss Ryon’s Constitution Party candidacy. This is particularly disturbing for a candidate of the Republican Party to cross party lines and attempt to “clear the field” of a candidate in the Constitution Party....

Stivers has expressed his plan to repeal/eliminate the 16th & 17th Amendments and the Health Care Reform Law.  Stivers is making his second attempt at capturing the seat for Ohio's 15th congressional district. He failed in 2008 when Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy defeated him.  Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15th-Dem) has been the target of the Tea Party Republicans, Stivers, and the good old boy Republicans and lobbyists.

(Follow the politics of central Ohio at http://ohio15th.blogspot.com )

Here is an annotated list of the 7 Congressional races in Ohio in which Democrats appear to have a chance at taking seats currently held by Republicans. This update of an earlier (September 7) diary includes total receipts and cash on hand (CoH) figures for the end of the 3rd quarter (September 30) plus independent expenditures on behalf of the candidates.

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Coming to a Smoke-Filled Cloakroom Near You...  LobbyistforCongress.com

The Ohio Democratic Party has launched a new parody website that helps  voters learn About the record and positions of career lobbyist Steve Stivers.
LobbyistforCongress.com is devoted to the record and positions of career banking lobbyist Steve Stivers. The site features a special interest issues section, introductory video, and useful biographical information about everyone's favorite lobbyist candidate.  Visitors are also invited to sign up with unique social networking portals like "MyLobbyist,""FaceBank," and "TaxIn."

"Steve is far too modest to mention his big-money lobbying career, his support for big oil companies and predatory lenders, and his vote for the single largest tax increase in Ohio history on his own campaign website, so we decided to do it for him," said Ohio Democratic Party Communications Director Alex Goepfert.

Video after the fold.

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Inspired by this calitics analysis of races in California, here is an annotated list of the 7 Congressional races in Ohio in which Democrats appear to have a chance at taking seats currently held by Republicans.

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As reported by Joe Hallett in the Columbus Dispatch and noted on Ohio 15th and Plunderbund this morning, State Sen. Steve Stivers (R-Upper Arlington) of the 16th Ohio Senate District has changed his mind and will jump into the contest to replace retiring Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-Upper Arlington) in the 15th Ohio Congressional District. Stivers is an Iraq War vet and a state senator for five years. In short, he is a relatively high-profile adversary for Franklin County Commissioner and well-funded repeat candidate Mary Jo Kilroy (D-Columbus).

More after the flip.

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