Ohio Newsbreak - End of the Week

Strickland, Stivers, Kilroy, Keno, Provisional Ballots, Unemployment, and more …

• Bill readied to prevent ‘Joe the Plumber’ snoops - Dayton Daily News
• Election results pointing to new religious coalition - Toledo Blade
• Strickland prods Congress for help - Toledo Blade
• Next casino effort will be multi-city - The Plain Dealer
• Brunner orders statewide election audit - Associated Press
• Chunk of Strickland’s Year Spent on Elections - Columbus Dispatch
• 27,000 ballots on hold - Columbus Dispatch
• Stivers leading Kilroy by less than 400 votes (Friday) - Associated Press

• Provisional ballot use increasing - Columbus Dispatch
• Lottery vendor not disclosed at Keno hearing - Associated Press
• Unemployment fund likely broke by end of year - Columbus Dispatch
• Cafaro to lead Ohio Senate Dems - The Plain Dealer
• Batchelder will lead Ohio House Republicans - Columbus Dispatch
• More workers accused of politicking on state time - Columbus Dispatch
• No state records show database checks before ‘Joe’ - Columbus Dispatch

Obama Transition: Obama Team Taking a Page From Strickland Playbook

Here in Ohio, Governor Ted Strickland made a statement in the opening hours of his term in January 2007. 

His first official act was not an executive order undoing some GOP policy an interest group was clamoring for; his first act was to make good on a promise made during the campaign to change the culture on Capitol Square.  President-elect Barack Obama’s transition is sounding a similar note this week in Chicago.

On January 8, 2007 - just hours after taking office - Strickland signed his first executive order which tightened ethics rules on his own administration.  Strickland had run a campaign to “Turnaround Ohio.” Part of that turn around was to run an administration which was grounded in service and the public’s interest.  This meant taking measures to set the tone to avoid the ethics issues and scandals of past state governments.  His rules are the tightest of any other Ohio governor and cover areas such as the ‘revolving door’ and gifts.

Two articles caught my eye this morning and had me thinking about those initial actions taken by Strickland. From the Washington Post is a piece about Obama’s efforts to control the influence of lobbyists during the transition. And Lynn Sweet of the Chicago Tribune focuses on the issue of transparency in how the Obama team will fund the transition. Read more

With DHL Leaving, Who Other Than Ted Strickland Would You Want in the Governor’s Office?

During a Tuesday trip to Wilmington, Gov. Ted Strickland told the Southwest Ohio community, “We will get through this, and we will do it together.”

Strickland was of course talking about the planned closure of DHL’s operations at the Wilmington Air Park.  According to a story in the Dayton Daily News, DHL employs between 7,400 and 7,800 people there.  The city of Wilmington itself has a population of around 12,000, but the Air Park employs people from a several county area.

For folks faced with the prospect of losing their jobs, there doesn’t seem to be much room for hope in the current economy.  One thing people in Clinton and other area counties may glean some measure of hope in is who they have advocating for them.

Governor Ted Strickland represented Wilmington and Clinton County when it was part of the old Sixth Congressional District.  He knows the area well and has bonds with members of the area’s business and political communities.  He’s advocated for them before, he’s advocated for them as Governor and with things looking grim, it’s a given he’ll redouble his efforts.

Strickland has talked about seeking assistance from the federal government for extended unemployment and other benefits to get workers through the interim and help them get back on their feet.  It’s one thing to say Strickland cares and he’ll work hard to get results.  It’s another thing to say that Strickland’s political organization just delivered the White House for the first Democratic president in eight years.

If there’s any governor better positioned to advocate for federal help in turning around an economic crisis within their state, it’s Strickland.  That doesn’t mean Southwest Ohio will receive a get out of recession free card.  There’s a whole nation of people hurting out there and President-elect Barack Obama’s administration will be under intense pressure from every conceivable direction from day one.  Still, it can’t hurt having Strickland on our side.

Ohio Sunday Papers - November 9, 2008

Politics & Elections News

• Obama’s focus on rural and urban Ohio paid off - Dayton Daily News
• Budish will focus on economy as Speaker - The Plain Dealer
• Voters more likely to mess up without machines - Columbus Dispatch
• Cuyahoga Corruption probe one of many investigations - The Plain Dealer
• Out of state volunteers energized campaigns - The Plain Dealer
• Quick action on economy tops wish list - Toledo Blade
• Young people tune into Obama’s call to service - Columbus Dispatch
• Editorial: Working Together - Columbus Dispatch
• Editorial: Ohio Dems have a House of their own - The Plain Dealer
• Editorial: Dems should preserve Republican school reforms - Columbus Dispatch
• Op-Ed, Joe Hallett: Republicans lost more ground than Dems gained - Columbus Dispatch
• Op-Ed, Mayor Michael Coleman: Black community’s expectations a hurdle for Obama - Columbus Dispatch
• Op-Ed, Jonathan Riskind: Obama, Charles Preston and History - Columbus Dispatch
• Op-Ed, Thomas Suddes: Bill before Ohio Legislature bad for consumers - The Plain Dealer

Other News

• Rush to deregulate - Columbus Dispatch
• Cleveland Medical Mart threatened by NY project - The Plain Dealer
• Cleveland or NY? Advantages for Medical Mart - The Plain Dealer

Ohio Agency Director Put on Leave & Other News from the Buckeye State

Helen Jones-Kelley Coverage

• Emails get state leader in trouble – Columbus Dispatch
• Jones-Kelley on paid leave pending investigation - The Plain Dealer
• Stivers event among topics of emails under investigation - Dayton Daily News
• Governor places family services director on leave – Dayton Daily News
• Agency chief put on leave -Toledo Blade
  

Politics & Elections News

• GOP’s grip on County’s suburbs slipping – Columbus Dispatch
• Editorial: GOP must make honest appraisal of its defeat – The Plain Dealer
• Obama’s victory in Cuyahoga was overwhelming – The Plain Dealer
• Obama won – so did shirt sellers – Columbus Dispatch
• Maureen O’Connor’s huge totals may lead to something else – The Plain Dealer
• Brunner calls summit on vote –Columbus Dispatch
• Ohio GOP to work on ‘identity crisis’ – Columbus Dispatch
• Dolan out of Minority Leader race – The Plain Dealer
• The new Ohio Senate and House – Columbus Dispatch
• Timing of Cordray’s start as AG uncertain – Columbus Dispatch
• Total state approach aided Obama – Columbus Dispatch
• No Treasurer replacement yet – The Plain Dealer
• Editorial: House Democrats in charge – Akron Beacon Journal

Other News

• Jobless rate highest in 14 years – Columbus Dispatch
• Hard recovery seen for Ohio – Associated Press
• Wilmington worried about pending DHL announcement – Dayton Daily News
• Glowing review earns Gee possibly $2 million – Columbus Dispatch

Will Kevin DeWine be first ORP Chairman to Switch Parties?

Kevin DeWine sounded for one day like he might be a Democrat.

In a surprisingly frank, candid interview with Joe Hallett of the Columbus Dispatch, DeWine, soon to take the helm as Ohio Republican Party chairman, nailed the reasons for Republican decline right on the head. In fact, if you were to turn around the issues he blames on GOP demise, you might end up with the current-day Democratic Party.

DeWine’s comments are the first intellectual honesty I’ve heard from any prominent Republican, locally or nationally, for months. Here’s a list to sum up what he said are the reasons the Ohio and national GOP are ailing:

• The party has become distracted and fixated on social issues.
• The GOP has drifted away from its core conservative message of fiscal responsibility and limited government.
• Republicans aren’t talking about issues that matter in people’s everyday lives.
• A tired message has turned off younger voters, ages 18-29.
• The party is not leveraging new media and fundraising opportunities on the Internet.
• Then there’s Iraq, ethics concerns and an unpopular Republican president.

Then DeWine gets to the heart of the matter:

“We have to exchange a fiscal message and economic message in for a social message that has dominated the messaging of this party for the last decade. We have to re-engage the middle class, step up with an agenda that solves problems and puts people first.”

An “agenda that solves problems and puts people first” — Hmmm, sounds like Bill Clinton, Ted Strickland or Barack Obama.

I’d like to introduce Mr. DeWine to some friends of mine I’ll just call the Democratic Party. We’re not fixated on social issues; we prefer to stay out of folks’ bedrooms and uteri. Recent history shows that the last president in a generation to achieve a budget surplus was a Democrat. Here in Ohio, Governor Ted Strickland has brought accountability and efficiency to state government through regulatory reform, procurement reform and the strongest ethics policies of any governor. As for party organization and leveraging the World Wide Web for communication and fundraising, Barack Obama just finished what Howard Dean started – a new standard has been set.

If Kevin DeWine and the Ohio Republican Party are about good stewardship of public resources and putting people first in an agenda to solve problems, I’d suggest they just join the Democrats – we’re already there.

Ohio Electoral Maps: Comparing Obama, Strickland and Bush by County

Editor’s Note: Data for these county maps came from the Ohio Secretary of State’s website.

 

 

Campaign stays hot in Ohio: 2008 Elections Coverage by Ohio’s Major Dailies

Columbus Dispatch

• McCain camp sees gap tightening in battleground states
  
• Clinton talks up Obama in Youngstown
  
• In So. Ohio Hillary says Nation needs Obama
  
• Obama army blankets Ohio
  
• Editorial: Sex, Lies and Gifts
  
• The Arnold heading to Columbus
  
• GOP says sorry to House Democrat
  
• Obama likes Clinton vet to serve as CoS
  

Cleveland Plain Dealer

• Clinton, Strickland stump for Obama
  
• McCain ends bus trip with muscle
  
• Springsteen campaigns for Obama this weekend in Cleveland
  
• McCain’s third stop leaves open field
  
• McCain gives shout out to ‘Joe the Plumber’ relatives
  

Dayton Daily News

• Election Board to probe Husted’s Residency
  
• Boehner calls Obama barnyard name
  
• Biden calls McCain Bush’s Sidekick in Kettering
  
• McCain, ‘Joe the Plumber’ draw crowds across Ohio
  
• Judge throws out suit to take Obama off Ohio ballots

Ohio Sunday Papers October 26 – Politics, Elections

Politics & Elections News

• Endorsement: Obama better choice to lead U.S. – Youngstown Vindicator
• Ohio Dems outspend Republicans in Ohio House races – The Plain Dealer
• $1 million bail set in Brunner death threat – Columbus Dispatch
• Is Ohio doomed to elections battles?
  – Columbus Dispatch
• Ballot dispute history
  – Columbus Dispatch
• Changes proposed to state’s constitution – Toledo Blade
• Obama, McCain must commit to job creation in NE Ohio
  – The Plain Dealer
• War fades as voters’ central issue
  – Dayton Daily News
• Op-Ed, Thomas Suddes: Handicapping the next Ohio House
  – The Plain Dealer
• Strickland stumps for Ohio House race – Cincinnati Enquirer
• Op-Ed, Dennis Willard – Bigotry, hate polarizing Americans
  - Akron Beacon-Journal
• Op-Ed, Jonathan Riskind: Big victory could could quell cries of election fraud – Columbus Dispatch
• Op-Ed, Joe Frolik: Obama is battered but not bruised – The Plain Dealer
• Op-Ed, Joe Hallett: McCain’s gamble on Palin looking like iffy bet in Ohio – Columbus Dispatch
• Op-Ed, David Skolnick: Republicans brace for political thrashing – Youngstown Vindicator
• Campaigns plan presence at polls
  – Columbus Dispatch
• McCain slams Ohio snooping on ‘Joe’ – Columbus Dispatch
• It only feels like candidates visit daily
  – Columbus Dispatch
• Odds against no tax casinos
  – Columbus Dispatch
• D.C. Dispatches
  – Columbus Dispatches
• Voters weigh limits for payday lenders – Toledo Blade
• Endorsement: Vote to keep curbs on payday lenders – Columbus Dispatch
• Endorsement: McCain for President – Warren Tribune-Chronicle

 

Other News

• Op-Ed, Mike Curtin: Ohio leads in state government fiscal restraint – Columbus Dispatch
  
• Ohio leads service effort
  – Columbus Dispatch
  
• Toledo Mayor proposes 3-day government shutdown
  – Toledo Blade

Husted’s Residency Fraud Could Remove Him From the Ticket

… Might Jennifer Brunner Get to Cast the Deciding Vote?

This article from the Dayton Daily News which ran nearly a week ago may have started a chain of events that could end with a delicious ironic twist for Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner.

Put simply, because it looks like Husted lives in Columbus with his family, the Montgomery County Board of Elections would vote on whether or not Husted is a valid, registered voter of Montgomery County. According to the DDN:

The deadline has passed to challenge a person’s place on the ballot. However, the board can question the validity of a person’s registration, said Steve Harsman, board of elections director.

Ohio law on residency for voting purposes says a person’s residence is the “place where the family of a married person resides.”

A legislator may be forced to forfeit his seat if he is not a legal resident of the district he represents.

Inevitably, the board would tie in any such vote. Who gets to break the tie? Brunner.

Why is this ironic? Ohio is getting attention this presidential election year for all the usual reasons: Ohio has voted for every winning presidential candidate every cycle save two for the past century, the race here is still tight, and the 2004 presidential race between George W. Bush and John Kerry came down to Ohio early in the morning on the first Wednesday in that November.

Ohio is getting even more attention this election year because of the smoke screen the Ohio Republican Party has been laying all over our election process. Bogus court case after bogus court case has come and gone, attacking our Secretary of State for implementing election laws passed by a Republican legislature. They’ve even been embarrassed by the Supreme Court of the United States. Along with the legal challenges has come a low to mid-grade domestic terror campaign which has included cyber attacks and death threats against Brunner and her office. This is fueled by the Republican slime machine here and nationally.

What political insiders in Columbus know is that the campaign against Brunner isn’t about fighting Barack Obama’s Ohio GOTV juggernaut. What we’ve been witnessing is the preparation of the 2010 election battleground. It’s a campaign with Jon Husted at the heart of it all. Husted, knowing he doesn’t have a chance in hell of competing with Governor Ted Strickland in 2010 has his sights set on the Secretary of State’s office. The SoS will hold a seat on the apportionment board, another plum for career politician Husted.

Remember what a nightmare Republican Ken Blackwell was as Secretary of State? That’s how they want to paint Brunner. The problem is where Blackwell disgraced the office with naked partisanship, mismanagement, and by proving to all of us he’s just not that bright – Brunner has cultivated an image as a thoughtful public servant who respects the office. If she’s not Blackwell, the Republican thinking goes, let’s raise so much hell in the election system during this super-charged presidential cycle and leave the impression that Brunner’s bollocksed it all up.

Currently things stand with the Montgomery County Board of Elections attorney conducting a review of residency laws.
The Board is considering a full investigation of Husted which could end in the aforementioned vote.

I hope Brunner gets her chance to have the last laugh in the saga of Slick Jonny.

Full Text: Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland Gives Democratic Radio Address, October 4

(Source: WSAZ-TV)

“Good morning, this is Ohio Governor Ted Strickland.

Yesterday, we woke up to some tough news. Our economy lost another 159,000 jobs in September – our single biggest monthly job loss in more than five years.

That’s another 159,000 Americans wondering how they’ll find the courage to go home and give their families the news. Wondering how they’ll pay for the food, gas, and energy costs that are eating up more and more of their budget. Wondering how they’ll keep their home. Read more

Ohio News Check – Saturday – Strickland Democrats’ Radio Response

Politics and Elections

• Strickland slams McCain’s economic policies – Bloomberg
• Dems radio address bashes McCain – Associated Press
• Ballots with missing check marks to be counted – The Plain Dealer
• Ohio early voting survives court challenge – Associated Press

• Analysis says Ohio casino figures vague – Associated Press
• State Analysis says Issue 6 language vague – Columbus Dispatch
• Hamburgers, soap can offer political lessons – Associated Press
• Op-Ed, Joe Frolik: GOP’s downs and ups – The Plain Dealer
• Cordray has cash lead in AG’s race – Columbus Dispatch
• Marc Dann: Threats forced use of campaign cash – Columbus Dispatch
• Mediation in AG Harassment case loses steam – Columbus Dispatch

Other News

• Ohio minimum wage to rise in 2009 – Toledo Blade
• Regional indicators point to slow Cleveland recovery – The Plain Dealer

Ohio Sunday Papers – September 28, 2008

Columbus Dispatch

• Gee has added execs, boosted pay

 

• AEP wants you to pick up storm’s tab
• Dispatch Voters’ Guide
• Op-Ed, Joe Hallett: Folks are fed up with same old politics
• Op-Ed, Jonathan Riskind: Lots of Anger, Very Little Faith
• Ohioan helped McCain prepare for debate
• Chancellor cuts own pay while laying off five aides
• Endorsements: For Issues 14-19

Cleveland Plain Dealer

• NE Ohio gets busy going green
• Cuyahoga County Board of Elections promotes early voting
• Casting early ballots ‘changes everything’
• Endorsements: No on Casino
• Endorsements: Yes on Issue 2
• Op-Ed, Thomas Suddes: PUCO should be elected
• Op-Ed, Joe Frolik: Predicting how the House might be divided (From Saturday)

Dayton Daily News

• DP&L says all power back on
• Bank crisis hitting homeowners hardest says Census
• McCain holds wide lead in rural Ohio

Why is the DDN writing this story two weeks after the Ohio Poll came out?

• Strickland, Taylor disagree on debate winner

Other Papers

• Obama team counts on black supporters – Toledo Blade
• Op-Ed: Let’s see if candidates have presidential qualities – Toledo Blade
• Op-Ed, Dennis Willard: McCain has own version of free press – Akron Beacon Journal
• Op-Ed, David Knox: Do we even trust our leaders to help? – Akron Beacon Journal

Ohio News Check

Still a Few Without Power

• 40,000 Ohioans still without power – Dayton Daily News

Politics & Other News

• All eyes on payday lending struggle in Ohio, AZ – Associated Press
• McCain Adviser sues Ohio over ballot issue – Columbus Dispatch
• Testing behind for Cuyahoga’s new voting system – The Plain Dealer
• Cleveland’s sustainability ranking moving higher – The Plain Dealer
• Strickland scrupulous about gifts, ethics issues – The Plain Dealer
• Absentee voting changing nature of elections – Associated Press
• State agencies deciding latest round of cuts – WBNS-TV

Ohio Windstorm Power Outages Update – Friday A.M.

AEP-Ohio

Since devastating winds hit the state of Ohio throughout the day Sunday, over 80 percent of AEP Ohio´s customers affected by the storm have been restored. As of 6 a.m. today, more than 550,000 AEP Ohio customers have had their electricity service restored. Just over 130,000 AEP Ohio customers remain without power.

Even the Governor and First Lady didn’t have power on Wednesday night. No report on whether or not AEP has come through for them yet. As I was leaving work last night, a friend from Clintonville got a call in the elevator that his power was back on. There were fist pumps.

 

Dayton Power & Light

We are making steady progress as 1,000 people work on the emergency restoration effort, including assistance from eight neighboring states. Overnight, service was restored to 6,000 customers. As of 7 a.m. Friday, 74,000 customers are without power. By Sunday, we plan to have the vast majority of customers back in. Final, individual pockets of outages could take longer.

Ohio Edison

AKRON, Ohio – Service to 93 percent of FirstEnergy’s utility operating company customers has been restored following Sunday’s massive wind storm. As of 10:00 a.m. Thursday, approximately 70,400 customers of Ohio Edison, Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company, Pennsylvania Electric and Pennsylvania Power remain without service.

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