John Kerry is turning up the heat with some allegations of election improprieties by the Ohio Republican who oversaw the deciding vote in 2004 -- Ken Blackwell.
In his latest fundraising effort for fellow Democrats, an e-mail will be sent on Tuesday to 100,000 Democratic donors asking them to support U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland for governor of Ohio.
The bulk of the e-mail criticizes Strickland's opponent, GOP Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, for his dual role in 2004 as President Bush's honorary Ohio campaign co-chairman and the state's top election official.
"He used the power of his state office to try to intimidate Ohioans and suppress the Democratic vote," said Kerry's e-mail.
Kerry's e-mail says Ken Blackwell "used his office to abuse our democracy and threaten basic voting rights."
Multiple lawsuits by outside groups were unsuccessful in challenging Ohio's 2004 election. One case filed by the League of Women Voters is still in U.S. District Court in Toledo. It claims Ohio's election system discriminates against minority voters.
John Kerry sent the following email today to 100,000 Democratic donors asking them to support U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland for governor of Ohio:
Dear Friend,
Almost two years ago today, Ted Strickland and I stood together on a stage in Steubenville and I heard Ted tell the crowd about the damage the Bush presidency and the Taft governorship had done to your state -- the unemployment, the jobs shipped overseas, and corruption at the top.
As I write to you today, Ted Strickland is offering Ohioans a better choice in a campaign that our entire country is watching.
The choice couldn't be clearer.
On one side is Ted Strickland -- a good man admired by Democrats and Republicans alike. On the other side is his Republican opponent, Ken Blackwell, who has used his office to abuse our democracy and threaten basic voting rights.
Support Strickland. Beat Blackwell. Donate Now.
This isn't just rhetoric. As you know, in 2004 while serving as a co-chair of George W. Bush's 2004 Presidential campaign in Ohio, Secretary of State Blackwell oversaw the state's 2004 election. He used the power of his state office to try to intimidate Ohioans and suppress the Democratic vote. Is he ashamed of what he did? No -- he's emboldened by it. <!--more-->
Since 2004, he has twisted the election process even more, adding new voting regulations that have created confusion and controversy. His legacy as Secretary of State? Putting partisanship ahead of the electorate's fundamental right to vote. That's not just a reason not to promote him as Governor; it demands a grassroots mission to stop Ken Blackwell from getting a further grip on power in Ohio.
That is why I am asking you to act right now to help Ted Strickland wage an all-out effort in this tough race. It is a contest in which every Ohio citizen has a stake.
Support Strickland. Beat Blackwell. Donate Now.
You know what you're voting against in this race, but Ted Strickland offers something to vote for. In Congress, Ted has been an outstanding advocate for working men and women, children's health care, and veterans' rights. He has worked to bring good jobs to Ohio by fostering investments in technology, energy production, and economic development. And, while fighting to give our troops the equipment they need, Ted has been a steadfast opponent of the war in Iraq.
Ted knows the world beyond Washington -- he was a minister, a professor and a psychologist before he went to Congress.
Support Strickland. Beat Blackwell. Donate Now.
The Republicans who run Washington, DC know Ted is serious and have called in all their big guns to campaign against him. They know how important this race is for their future -- they think they need to win it to remain in power. Let's not let them have their way.
Sincerely,
John Kerry
The latest poll from Rasmussen Reports shows Strickland leads Blackwell by an "intimidating 57% to 32%."