Conservative lightning rod "Mean Jean" Schmidt of Ohio finally has a Democratic challenger.
In a district that continues to frustrate progressives because of their inability to topple one of the most embarrassing members of congress, there is finally some hope this morning that the door might be still slightly ajar.
Conservative lightning rod "Mean Jean" Schmidt of Ohio finally has a Democratic challenger.
In a district that continues to frustrate progressives because of their inability to topple one of the most embarrassing members of congress, there is finally some hope this morning that the door might be still slightly ajar.
Several months ago, State Representative Todd Book announced he'd be entering the race. Book, who had the backing of Governor Ted Strickland, looked to be a very solid threat to Schmidt - who had already beaten Iraq War Veteran Paul Hackett and Cincinnati-area Doctor Victoria Wulsin in past efforts. Book would have likely been well-funded and certainly a bit more competitive than Wulsin in some more conservative rural areas providing maybe enough to get over the top. Book also wouldn't have been forced to deal with an independent challenge from 2008 spoiler David Krikorian, whose vote tally was significantly higher than the difference between Wulsin and Schmidt.
Krikorian would have been a non-issue because Book would have easily defeated him in the May 2010 primary. (Krikorian announced last year that he was now a Democrat - before launching an assault on the Democratic Party and "machine politics" he now conveniently courts.)
Flash forward to today. Todd Book is out. David Krikorian is still in. And the Democratic Party is still without a single candidate in a race that should be a slam dunk.
Enter Jim Parker. Parker, a health care administrator from Waverly, Ohio, announced Thursday that he's decided to jump back into the mix for the party nomination. Parker had originally considered running until his friend Todd Book entered last summer. When Book withdrew, Parker considered running against Schmidt (and possibly Krikorian) as an independent. That changed this week when Parker posted on his blog that he will "always be a voice for people who work for a living, for women, for children, for the elderly, the sick and the poor. You will always have a voice because I know your struggles; I have lived them my entire life. And I hope you will allow me to earn your trust and your vote during the next several months"
More on this at OhioDaily
Parker may not be the best-funded candidate when he formally enters the race later this month, but at this point, he's the only real Democrat - or better still, the only real progressive. Parker challenged Krikorian to a debate on Thursday but was dismissed by Krikorian's campaign almost immediately. Parker is the only candidate in the race focused on progressive issues. He deserves a chance to be heard and earn Democratic support.