HANDS OFF!!
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| Also listed in: Licking County Pro-Active Citizens (www.licopac.org) |
For months, Ohio Republicans have been sniping at newly-elected Democratic Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, hoping to frame her as "too controversial" to be re-elected in 2010.
That would improve the GOP's chances of controlling the State Apportionment Board which begins redrawing the boundaries of state legislative districts after 2010.
The party that controls the apportionment board markedly improves its chances of controlling not only the state legislature but also the Ohio congressional delegation since it's the legislature that maps congressional districts.
To control the board, a party needs to hold two of three state offices: governor, auditor, secretary of state. Unless somebody loses in 2010, this gives Democrats a 2--1 edge.
The GOP is also hopeful of evicting Attorney General Marc Dann, a Democrat, if "PJgate" proves to have legs.
Although Columbus police have declined to pursue sexual harassment charges against Dann aide Anthony Gutierrez, blogs and TV pundits have been speculating for weeks about who might be tapped to replace Dann if the steamy office scandal snares the boss.
Happily, the attorney general isn't a member of the apportionment board.
But the governor is.
So, helpfully, the New York Times yesterday raised once again the prospect that Strickland might be "promoted" out of the Statehouse and into the vice presidency.
The rumor at the time of the Ohio primary was that Stickland would go to work for Hillary if she won. Now it's that the eventual team could be Obama-Strickland.
"Obama advisers have also argued that swing states like Ohio are winnable this fall because they have been increasingly leaning Democratic and have been struggling economically under President Bush. Indeed, some Obama allies hope he will pick Ohio's popular governor, Ted Strickland, as his running mate if he wins the nomination, both to help carry Ohio and to unify the party (Mr. Strickland is supporting Mrs. Clinton)."
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/24/us/politics/24clinton.html?hp
Given the central role gerrymandering plays in politics, Strickland's removal could offset disappointment among Ohio Republicans of seeing Democrats take over the White House next January. Republican gubernatorial hopefuls are already lining up for 2010.
But hear us, Barack and Hillary:
In truth, Ohio Democrats actually can't stand Ted Strickland.
Despite what you hear, he's no Woody Hayes or John Glenn and thus won't get our votes this November. Everybody just punched for him in '06 because he's got a cool wife and all those great stories about growing up in a chicken shack down on Duck Run.
But be warned: If you put our Ted on your ticket, we vow -- with nose pinched and eyes closed -- to vote for John McBush. Even if Rush is his running mate.
So hands off!!
That would improve the GOP's chances of controlling the State Apportionment Board which begins redrawing the boundaries of state legislative districts after 2010.
The party that controls the apportionment board markedly improves its chances of controlling not only the state legislature but also the Ohio congressional delegation since it's the legislature that maps congressional districts.
To control the board, a party needs to hold two of three state offices: governor, auditor, secretary of state. Unless somebody loses in 2010, this gives Democrats a 2--1 edge.
The GOP is also hopeful of evicting Attorney General Marc Dann, a Democrat, if "PJgate" proves to have legs.
Although Columbus police have declined to pursue sexual harassment charges against Dann aide Anthony Gutierrez, blogs and TV pundits have been speculating for weeks about who might be tapped to replace Dann if the steamy office scandal snares the boss.
Happily, the attorney general isn't a member of the apportionment board.
But the governor is.
So, helpfully, the New York Times yesterday raised once again the prospect that Strickland might be "promoted" out of the Statehouse and into the vice presidency.
The rumor at the time of the Ohio primary was that Stickland would go to work for Hillary if she won. Now it's that the eventual team could be Obama-Strickland.
"Obama advisers have also argued that swing states like Ohio are winnable this fall because they have been increasingly leaning Democratic and have been struggling economically under President Bush. Indeed, some Obama allies hope he will pick Ohio's popular governor, Ted Strickland, as his running mate if he wins the nomination, both to help carry Ohio and to unify the party (Mr. Strickland is supporting Mrs. Clinton)."
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/24/us/politics/24clinton.html?hp
Given the central role gerrymandering plays in politics, Strickland's removal could offset disappointment among Ohio Republicans of seeing Democrats take over the White House next January. Republican gubernatorial hopefuls are already lining up for 2010.
But hear us, Barack and Hillary:
In truth, Ohio Democrats actually can't stand Ted Strickland.
Despite what you hear, he's no Woody Hayes or John Glenn and thus won't get our votes this November. Everybody just punched for him in '06 because he's got a cool wife and all those great stories about growing up in a chicken shack down on Duck Run.
But be warned: If you put our Ted on your ticket, we vow -- with nose pinched and eyes closed -- to vote for John McBush. Even if Rush is his running mate.
So hands off!!
