State Political Profile: Ohio
Governor
Republicans beset by a state investment scandal are trying to keep the governor's office, which they've held since 1991. Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell is the GOP nominee elected in Ohio's May 2 primary. He beat Attorney General Jim Petro by 12 percentage points.
The Democratic nominee is U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland of Lisbon, an easy winner over former state Rep. Bryan Flannery.
If he wins, Blackwell would be the nation's first black Republican governor since Reconstruction. Blackwell is courting Christian conservatives, making numerous appearances before pastors' groups. He says he's the only candidate who has been consistently anti-abortion and anti-tax.
The governor's race is playing out against a backdrop of scandal. The Ohio injured workers' insurance program has lost upwards of $300 million in bad investments including a controversial investment in rare coins under Gov. Bob Taft, who cannot seek re-election because of term limits. The Republicans are staying away from Taft, who last year pleaded no contest to ethics charges.
Strickland, a six-term congressman, is a different Democrat for Ohio. A Methodist minister and former prison psychologist, he has won numerous NRA endorsements and has dominated his Appalachian district an area that went overwhelmingly for George W. Bush, largely on values issues. In the last four elections for governor, Democrats have run more liberal candidates and lost.
U.S. Senate
Sen. Mike DeWine coasted to victory over two challengers in the primary and will seek a third term. Conservatives made noise about DeWine joining the "gang of 14" that brokered a deal with Senate Democrats to allow filibusters on judicial nominations only in "extraordinary circumstances." Two groups ran radio ads criticizing DeWine. However, the deal has not harmed Senate Republicans or President Bush to date. Two of three of Bush's Supreme Court nominees were confirmed. The third, Harriet Miers, had her nomination derailed by Bush's own party.
DeWine won easily in 1994 and 2000 against weak Democrats but this time faces a candidate who has won statewide, U.S. Rep. Sherrod Brown. Brown has represented northeast Ohio since 1993 and was secretary of state from 1983-91, losing to Taft in a bitter campaign. This is his first statewide run since then.
Iraq war veteran Paul Hackett dropped out of the race on Feb. 14, blaming party leaders he said pressured him to step aside in favor of the more seasoned Brown. Hackett, a Bush administration critic, had built up a rabid Internet following nationwide and used his fundraising prowess to nearly knock off Republican Jean Schmidt in a special congressional election in August in a heavily GOP district.
U.S. House
With the backdrop of state and national Republican scandals, GOP House incumbents are challenged by more than their Democratic opponents.
Rep. Bob Ney, "Representative No. 1" in federal plea agreements implicating him a congressional corruption scandal involving lobbyist Jack Abramoff, is a top target for congressional Democrats. Ney will face Dover law director Zack Space in the fall. Ney has easily carried the massive, rural district since 1994. Space defeated Chillicothe Mayor Joe Sulzer in the primary. Ney told his Republican colleagues that he is determined to get re-elected and would not proceed if he thought he would be indicted.
Rep. Deborah Pryce has been ranked fourth in the Republican House leadership, which, given an emerging movement to replace all GOP leaders, could work against her in a race against Mary Jo Kilroy, a Franklin County commissioner. Kilroy has won two countywide elections in the most populous part of Pryce's 15th District.
Jean Schmidt barely got her feet wet in Congress before she became a subject of fierce debate. She implied that a Democratic congressman and decorated Marine veteran was a coward for wanting troops out of Iraq, inspiring angry rebukes and passionate support from constituents of her fiercely conservative Cincinnati-area 2nd District. Trouble is, the Democrat who came close to Schmidt last summer is Iraq war veteran Paul Hackett, who refused to try for a rematch. She will face Victoria Wulsin, a doctor specializing in public health. Schmidt edged former U.S. Rep. Bob McEwen in the GOP primary.
Three more House seats will be vacant: Republican Michael Oxley is retiring from a safely GOP seat in the 4th District. State Sen. Jim Jordan of Urbana, one of the most outspoken conservatives in the state Legislature, won the GOP primary and is the heavy favorite to replace Oxley. Democrats Sherrod Brown and Ted Strickland are seeking other offices. For Brown's seat in the 13th District, lawyer and former Democratic state Rep. Betty Sutton drew key union and national endorsements to win the primary. She faces Republican Craig Foltin, the mayor of heavily Democratic Lorain. Republicans think they have a chance in Strickland's district with state Rep. Chuck Blasdel, a prolific fundraiser, although the district leans Democratic. The Democratic nominee, state Sen. Charlie Wilson, won as a write-in candidate after he failed to collect the 50 signatures needed to land on the primary ballot.
Other State Races
The three seats that make up the board that draws legislative districts governor, auditor and secretary of state all are open, though Republicans have won all three since 1994. The Legislature draws congressional districts. Both houses are expected to remain solidly Republican.
Ballot Issues
Competing issues, promoted by Blackwell and Petro, would limit spending and taxes. Blackwell's is on the November ballot. Petro's has not qualified yet. Another issue would raise the Ohio minimum wage from $5.15 to $6.85 an hour. Also possible are a statewide smoking ban and issues to allow casino gambling.
-- Associated Press
