With the continuing folly that is the national Republican Party, it's easy to forget about what's happening on a state level, even in a swing state like Ohio.
Today is the primary election for Ohio, and chief among those races is the partisan primary for Governor. On the Democratic side, Ted Strickland will likely be the nominee. You can learn more about him here, or from the previous posts I've done on Daily Kos.
Ted presenting a comprehensive education plan
at the Ohio State University last week.
On the Republican side, we've got
Ken Blackwell (yes, he's proud of that picture), the controversial Secretary of State who oversaw the 2004 presidential election in Ohio and the Republican Party's top extremist prospect for 2008 and beyond, vs.
Jim Petro, the state's attorney general who not only missed the boat, but quite possibly the entire concept of travel on water when it came to Coingate and Bush fundraiser Tom Noe.
Ken Blackwell is favored to win his primary by a large margin, which means one thing: starting on May 3rd, the dirtiest, nastiest mud to be slung this year is likely to come from a certain Secretary of State's campaign office in Columbus, Ohio.
The Republicans have already torn each other apart, succeeding in making their election about two things: the most divisive issues possible, and a bloody, knockdown dragout fight over who's the most hypocritical. Despite today's likely results, Blackwell wins that one hands down.
Over the next six months, we want to work with you and communities like yours to ensure that Ohio finds real leadership. Ohio has suffered from more than a consecutive decade of sub-par job growth, an unconstitutionally funded school system and an exodus of young and talented Ohioans.
Ted Strickland has the leadership and the vision necessary to turn Ohio around. He has proposed a clear, workable plan called Turnaround Ohio that will focus on keeping and growing the jobs that Ohio has by investing in our state's strengths and attracting the jobs of the future by ensuring that Ohio has the best educated workforce possible.
Ted rallying Democrats at Ohio Democratic Party HQ on Saturday
With hard work, bold vision and dedication, the era of Bob Taft and Ken Blackwell's Ohio can end, and we can get back to the business of making Ohio great again. I ask that you join us not just to stop Ken Blackwell. I ask you to join us because we have a chance to bring strong Democratic leadership to a state crying out for relief from destructive Republican rule and a chance to put kids in better schools, parents in better jobs and Ohio on a better track.
Jesse Taylor
Online Communications Director
Strickland for Governor
http://www.tedstrickland.com
