Industrial states turn to Democrats while GOP reigns in Ohio

[ProSense]

February 11, 2006

Industrial states turn to Democrats while GOP reigns in Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Twelve years after the GOP reigned in five industrial, mainly Midwestern states, only Ohio is still governed by a Republican.

Democrats lead Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin but have been shut out in Ohio since Richard Celeste left office in 1991. Geography, finances and political farm systems have played a role.

This year's race for Ohio governor is open for the first time since 1998. It is vying for voters' attention with state and national ethics scandals two years after the Republican stronghold returned President Bush to the White House.

Ohio stayed under a GOP administration mostly for two reasons, said Paul Beck, a political scientist at Ohio State University. While far from prosperous, the state's economy was in better shape four years ago than many industrial states, especially Michigan, and the Democratic parties in the other states are better organized than Ohio's, he said.

All five states had Republican governors in 1994. All have heavy manufacturing interests but also are highly dependent on agriculture.

more...

http://www.onnnews.com/Global/story.asp?S=4488447&nav=Lrzs

Just say corruption.

[dsc]

1. I would love to place all the blame on corruption

but sadly Democrats deserve a large ladel of blame too. Our party has been inept over those years. We should have won in 2002 but we nominated a Cuyahoga County democrat who also wasn't a favorite of the rank and file. The worst of both worlds.

[OzarkDem]

10. Hagan was a good candidate

He would have (and still could) make a good governor. The problem is, Ohio Dem leadership doesn't help candidates, only themselves. They gave Hagen no help in raising funds and the party grassroots fundraising structure was completely atrophied.

R's had gutted the large donor campaign finance system with pay to play, while Dems stood by and did nothing. Hagen couldn't raise enough money to run and the news media made fun of him because he couldn't. Downstate Dems blamed it on him using the same old excuses (Cuy Co Dem) when their own party structure was so riddled with failure and incompetenece that they couldn't have gotten Bill Clinton elected if he'd run for governor.

Dem leadership in Columbus have always been able to exploit the clashes between downstate & northern Ohio Dems to cover for their own incompetence.

So far, that hasn't changed significantly. The online Dem community needs to keep up the pressure on these idiots in Columbus and force them to run good campaigns or send them packing before we lose another election.

[dsc]

13. I actually liked Hagan for the most part

but when we knew the candidate wouldn't have much money and that the party wouldn't or couldn't help him or her we should have gone with a downstate person who would have needed less help. Coleman would have been a marvelous choice for the top of the ticket.

[OzarkDem]

15. Wouldn't have made any difference

No candidate would have had enough money. It was just convenient for the downstate Dems to blame it on the fact that Hagen came from Cuyahoga Co.

Coleman would have fared no better, nor would any downstate candidate. The idea is a myth perpetrated by Ohio Dem leaders.

[dsc]

16. a black candidate might have become a bit of a rock star

and been able to raise money on his own.

[n2doc]

2. Just say Diebold n/t

[OzarkDem]

8. Not a good excuse

Ohio Dem leadership IS disorganized. The state party leadership has been a private club for the last dozen years, made up of a couple of dictatorial union leaders and some lazy hangers-on from the Celeste administration. Nearly all have very close ties to the Republican party.

Their main goal is to keep themselves employed, whether the money comes from Dems or Republicans. They're whores pure and simple, and incredibly dumb whores at that. Their arrogance was (and is) a ruse to keep rank and file Dems from discovering how closely aligned they are with Republicans.

Unfortunately, most of this gang is still in place, which doesn't bode well for 2006 or Ohio.

[rodeodance]

3. i would have thought that the people of OHIO would wise up-but seems

not.

[blm]

4. GOp focused on Ohio and fostered religious politicking there to the nth

degree.

It happened over an intense 10 yr stretch starting in 93. The Democratic party in Ohio got shut down financially at every turn and their infrastructure there collapsed.

Clinton and the DNC did little to combat it during the years, even knowing that GOP needed Ohio more than any other state to win.

Once elecrtonic voting machines came into play, it was easy street for Repubs.

[louis-t]

5. My state, Mich. is still reeling from

Repug former governor. John Engler spent 6 years bragging "I lowered 22 taxes, I lowered 23 taxes, I lowered 24 taxes". When he left office in 2004, he left behind a $1 billion deficit in a state that constitutionally requires a balanced budget. Our state legislature is controlled by Repugs who wail and criticize every breath our Dem governor takes.

[bluestateguy]

6. This simple piece of advice

The Republican nominee for governor, whoever it is, his/her middle name is Taft.

[Botany]

7. With HB 3 in place it is locked fro the Repugs.

Ohio went to Kerry by 500,000 votes e.z. but ..... you know the story.

Yes, we have the right wing dumb ass fundies but the vote flipping
is what does it. This state is totally corrupt. Hackett was dead even
w/ Schmidt until "humidity" stopped the vote count ... and Claremont
County's last 90 precincts to be counted all came for Schmidt and @ a level
to stop a recount.

[OzarkDem]

9. The gang that couldn't shoot straight screwed up again

Ohio Dem leadership is so divided, much of it is very corrupt, that things like HB 3 go right over their heads.

[Botany]

11. you are dead right .... for what has happened in Ohio to ....

.... happen some dems had to have gone along. Especially @ the BOE levels.

The dem on the Franklin County BOE, Cuyahoga County BOE, Fairfield County BOE (the recount
where the hand count did not match the machine count 3 times) and Delaware County BOEs
all smell.

Guess what Denny White went from the state Dem Chair to working on Franklin County's BOE ......
and somewhere there is a diebold connection too.

[OzarkDem]

14. And Denny White used to be a Republican n/t

[jaysunb]

12. As a former Ohioan

I can tell you, once you leave the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinatti city limits, YOU'RE IN OKLAHOMA ! :evilgrin:

[saltpoint]

17. It does look as if Ohio is ready to revert to Democrats in 06 in many

races, and then the table's set for a blue win in 08.

Ohio Democrats, do what you can to vote out Jean Schmidt and Mike DeWine.

I would not miss either of them one bit.

[ladjf]

18. I believe that Ohio and Florida are irretrievably lost in a sea

of Republican corruption. It will not be possible to win there in 2006 and 2008.