Before I get to the fun of blogging the results as they come in I want to take a minute to thank a whole bunch of people without whom RON simply would not have happened. The list is in no particular order, and apologies to those i forget - because there are so many.
into the extended then...
Paula Demming, the RON treasurer and one of the brain children.
Don McTigue, RON attorney and spokesman, Dr. Richard Gunther - and the whole RON executive team.
The Restof us.org and People for the American Way who funded a large amount of RON
Tim Tagaris and sherrod Brown at Grow Ohio for pounding away day after day - The DNC is getting a star performer. And to DavidNYC for his help frontpaging too, especially early on when no one knew wtf RON was.
The entire Ohio lefty blogosphere - I dont know how much all you guys wrote - but it was shit loads and quality.
Bill and Tim burga at the Ohio AFLCIO for stepping up, taking a chance - ballsy.
Dave Algoso - RON field coordinator - Dude you work too hard and i am glad you do.
Marc Ruben RON netroots coordinator - It wasn't always easy - but thanks for pushing, what you did made a difference.
Jim Dean and DFA - when other dems ran away - you ran into the battle - you ROCK !
Sherrod Brown, Paul Hackett, Ted Strickland - when you're high profile putting yourself out there takes guts - thank you.
The following Organizations who endorsed and provided support in different ways
American Friends Service Committee (Issue 3)
Americans for Democratic Action - Cleveland Chapter
Appalachian Peace and Justice Network
Asbestos Workers local #84
Belmont-Monroe Counties Central Labor Council
Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers Local 16 (Lake, Geauga, and Ashtabula Counties)
Buckeye Forest Council
Carpenters Local 639
Cedar Fairmount Moms Group
Cincinnati City Council
Cincinnati State College Democrats
Citizens' Alliance for Secure Elections
Citizens for a Progressive Ohio
Citizens Forum of the Miami Valley
Cleveland City Council
Coalition for Equity and Adequacy in School
The Coalition of Democratic and Progressive Organizations - Central Ohio
Common Cause
Common Sense Roundtable
Dayton Springfield Sydney Miami Valley AFL-CIO
Democracy for America - Central Ohio
Democracy for Ohio
Democratic Women's Society of Preble County
Democrats for a Stronger America (Montgomery County)
Fairmount Presbyterian Church, Outreach Mission Council
Findlay Democracy for America
Fostoria Democratic Club
Geauga County Democratic Party
Good Works (Athens, OH)
Hamilton County Democratic Forum
IBEW Local 246 (Steubenville)
IBEW Local 673 (Lake County)
Inter Ministerial Alliance (Dayton)
Laborers Local 894
Lake Democracy for America
Lakewood Democratic Club
League of Women Voters (Issues 2, 4)
League of Young Voters
Licking County Pro-Active Citizens (LICOPAC)
Ironworkers Local 17
Master's Commission New Covenant Church
Midtown South for Progress
Montgomery County Democratic party
NAACP - Dayton
Ohio AFL-CIO
Ohio Citizen Action
Ohio Civil Service Employees Association
Ohio Council of Churches
Ohio Education Association
Ohio Environmental Council
Ohio Fair Schools
Ohio Federation of Teachers
Ohio League of Conservation Voters Education Fund
Ohio Public Interest Research Group
Ohio Taxpayers Association (2, 4, 5)
Ohioans for Democratic Values
Organize Ohio
Oxford Citizens for Peace and Justice
Painters Local 841
Patriots for Change (Cuyahoga and Geauga Counties)
Pickaway County Democrats- Citizens in Action
Planned Parenthood Affiliates of Ohio
Portage County Democratic Coalition
Progressive Democrats of America
Progressive Democrats of Butler County
Progressive Democrats of Cincinnati
Rocky River Democratic Club
Sierra Club of Ohio
Stonewall Democrats - Cleveland
Summit County Progressive Democrats
Teamsters Local 348
TheRestofUs.org
Tri-County Building and Construction Trades Council
Upper Ohio Valley Building and Construction Trades
Wake Up Ohio
Warren County Democratic Party
Wayne County Network for Progressive Democracy
Thanks to the 12,000+ RON volunteers who gave up their time and creativity to pound the streets and phones from collecting signatures to GOTV - it doesn't work without these dedicated citizens.
To the 5000+ people who donated money - Democracy costs and you guys help us keep the playing field competitive.
To every kossack and blogger in general who wrote about or commented about RON (including the incredible Epluribus Media folks!) helping to get the message out.
Some personal thanks - to the folks at licopac who helped qualify RON in Licking County and get out over 10,000 pieces of literature - Dave, Grace, gloria, jane, Pam, kevin,bob, sue, rich, art, Irene,cary - I''m forgetting a bunch !
Thanks to Dan Dodd (91st district candidate in 06) for supporting and helping with the speakers bureau - i got your back in 2006
the Licking County Dem Club and Andrea for having the guts to endorse RON when other Dems clubs were pussies - and Marc Guthrie for his passion and conviction.
Finally - there is a small group of people who didn't work on RON but we owe a huge amount to. When RON was first conceived there was no coin-gate or BWC scandal or culture of corruption - the news room at the Toledo Blade exposed the political corruption that made RON make sense to every day Ohioans. Not only is the Blade the best damn paper in Ohio - It's one of the best damn papers in the country - you guys rock for your reporting and integrity.
Feel free to ad thanks i missed, or your own personal ones in the comments.
Now onto the live results blogging.