Ohio in Play!

This is big in Ohio and for democracy. Here are some numbers from the Columbus Dispatch article:

Although we’re miles from Election Day, a new Dispatch Poll shows that a near-sweep of statewide races appears within the grasp of Ohio Democrats.

Led by gubernatorial candidate Ted Strickland’s commanding 19-point lead at the top of the ticket, Democrats are up by at least 8 points in the contests for auditor, secretary of state and treasurer.

The only Republican currently ahead for any state administrative office is Auditor Betty D. Montgomery, vying for the attorney general’s job she held from 1995-2002.

Strickland’s continued dominance — he led by 20 points two months ago in the first Dispatch Poll for the general election — could shift the spotlight in Ohio to the battle for U.S. Senate.

Right now, Democratic challenger Sherrod Brown clings to a 5-point lead over incumbent Sen. Mike De-Wine in one of the nation’s most watched match-ups.

And here are some choice quotes:

Poll participant George Sentell, 81, who said he has voted Republican for more than 50 years, is one of the GOP faithful who has crossed over to Strickland.

"In all these years, I’ve tried to be a moderate Republican and I’ve had a harder and harder time doing that," said the former chemical engineer from his retirement home in the northeastern Ohio city of Hudson.

He said Blackwell’s advocacy of tax cuts won’t fix Ohio’s dismal ranking in so many categories, especially education.

"I think he’s pretty far out in some things," Sentell said. "His Reaganomics has been disproved years and years ago. And he’s supported by the religious right, which I don’t go for."

Joyce Detunno is an example of respondents who back all Democrats for administrative offices, except in Montgomery’s attorney general race.

"I’m sick of the Republican Party. What a bunch of crooks," remarked the 65-year-old North Sider, who said she has voted mostly for GOP candidates in recent elections. "When the Democrats were in power it was bad, but nothing like the Republicans have done. …

"(Gov. Bob) Taft’s been caught. I don’t know why the people didn’t force him to step down. Now we’ve got (U.S. Rep. Bob) Ney. They should send him to prison and take away his retirement. We’re putting these people in office … and they’re doing everything except what the people want them to do."

Well, let’s see if this actually holds till November. I am always a skeptic, but this looks like someone may have gotten the message and taken a look at the facts on the ground.

And those facts, i.e., reality, aren’t pretty!

But as we all know the voters, i.e., the unwashed, have the final say!

And their say is the only one that counts. Unless you count Bush v. Gore, that is!