Dennis Kucinich is running for Ohio governor against 6 other Democrats

[DonViejo]

Source: Springfield News-Sun




By Laura A. Bischoff - Columbus bureau

Columbus — Former Cleveland mayor and U.S. member of Congress Dennis Kucinich is running for Ohio governor, joining an already crowded field in the Democratic primary.

Kucinich filed paperwork with the Ohio Secretary of State on Monday to declare his candidacy and name a campaign treasurer. Kucinich, 71, launched his political career nearly 50 years ago when he served on the Cleveland City Council and later captured the mayor’s office in 1977. He served eight terms in Congress and twice ran for his party’s nomination for president.

Kucinich joins Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley, former U.S. Rep. Betty Sutton of the Akron area, state Sen. Joe Schiavoni of Boardman, Ohio Supreme Court Justice Bill O’Neill, former state Rep. Connie Pillich of Cincinnati and former Attorney General Richard Cordray in the Democratic primary.

Candidates must pick their running mates and file petitions signed by 1,000 Ohio voters by Feb. 7.

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Read more: http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/dennis-kucinich-running-for-ohio-governor-against-other-democrats/8lNjACdgNqcQBzMoEGK13I/

[Iliyah]

1. Can't wait to hear him on fake news.

[FarPoint]

2. He jumped in and will only be a spoiler vote...

Trying to diminish the strong Democratic message overall....

[Ken Burch]

5. You can't be a "spoiler" in the primary.

It's not as though they should just settle for a bland centrist already.

A bland centrist candidate is why Kasich won.

[JI7]

7. No. Kasich won because of white men

[Ken Burch]

13. There wasn't any group OTHER than white men who wanted us to nominate

the least progressive candidate possible.

That candidate was never the first choice of women or people of color.

There was no good reason every to nominate the least progressive(and there least worthwhile) candidate possible.

It wasn't the fault of PROGRESSIVE white men that Kasich won-progressive white men voted Dem in that race.

Against the person who won our primary, any R was certain to win.

That's what happen when you nominate bland centrists in a state that isn't hard-red.

The lesson is-NEVER nominate bland centrists anywhere north of the Mason-Dixon line.

(on edit). I'm not supporting Dennis in this effort...but there's valid point here that we can't ever nominate anybody like Strickland again. If he lost badly, that means anybody close to him on the issues would lose badly. Why even risk it, when the only chance we've got is a candidate who talks about class and the need to balance the scales? We can't win in a working-class state with anyone the big donors would prefer; i.e., with a candidate who doesn't stand for anything.

[JI7]

16. POC voted for the democrat. White men supported Kasich

[Ken Burch]

18. I recognize that.

But it was only right-wing white men who supported Kucinich.

It wasn't white progressives.

The democrat lost because he depressed turnout.

If I'd lived in Ohio, I'd have voted for the dem anyway, as did the prohibitive majority of whites who identify as progressives.

White men, overall, are always going to be to the right of the voting public, but progressive whites aren't responsible for that.

[JI7]

22. If progressive whites didn't vote they are not progressive

[Ken Burch]

23. I'm fairly sure turnout was low among the entire Dem coalition the year Kasich won.

Look, I'd have voted for the Dem.

I'm just saying it's not as simple as blaming non-conservative whites.

You have to put some responsibility on the party for running a campaign that didn't connect with people's lives and on Strickland for being totally out of touch.

I wish the Dem incumbent Kasich beat had been re-elected and that the person who ran against him for re-election had won.

(on edit) In the re-election campaign, Kasich won by 30 points. With that type of margin, there's not much difference higher turnout would have made, really.

[JI7]

25. If they didn't vote they are not progressive

[Ken Burch]

31. And you know perfectly well I'm not defending people not voting.

Just point out that Kasich was going to win in 2010 no matter what.

[GOPricklepants]

36. Dems got a shot and I'll tell you why.

When Kasich won over Strickland it was with 49% of the vote and by about 75,000 votes. There was a third party candidate that year. When he won re-election by the 30% margin it was because the Democratic Party candidate was found by a police officer at 4am in a parked car with someone who wasn't his wife. He was also found to not have renewed his drivers license in a decade. He had already picked a running mate that had a lot of personal debt. That's three strikes, you're out! The Democratic Party didn't even support him. Kasich wasn't beloved by all, just running against an irresponsible ass. Pick the best candidate and a Democrat can WIN!

[Ken Burch]

43. Thanks for the explanation of that.

n/t.

[FarPoint]

17. Ohio overall...the Democratic voters...

They won't pick Kucinich.... He's not really popular here in Ohio overall.

[Ken Burch]

19. OK, but this time choose a progressive.

Strickland proves it's pointless ever to nominate another centrist.

[FarPoint]

21. My strong guess...

Richard Cordray will be the Ohio Nominee..

[Maeve]

26. That would be a good bet

Cordray is young and has the whole 'consumer advocate' thing going for him. He also seems relatively polular (but then, I live in his home town!)

[PragmaticDem]

28. That will be up to OH Dems.

They know what type of Democrat wins statewide.

[Ken Burch]

32. These days, almost no Dems when statewide in Ohio.

The only recent exception is Sherrod Brown, who is solidly progressive.

[PragmaticDem]

33. Yeah OH really is more of a gop state but it is also heavily gerrymandered.

Strickland won is 2006 in a good year but after that Brown is the only elected Dem statewide. Centrists and progressives have fallen short.

[Ken Burch]

35. What is needed is someone who can connect with people who've been laid-off

or those fearing layoffs.

That is just as important as being pro-choice(and doesn't generally conflict with being pro-choice).

People need to read about the kind of successful progressive organizing that's been done in Youngstown.

[PragmaticDem]

37. Well we shall see what happens in the primary.

Honestly I don't get swing voters and what moves elections anymore.

[Ken Burch]

42. All very true.

I'm not sure "swing voter" or "centrist independents" exist anymore...or if they ever actually did.

We lost in 2010 because Democratic strategists focused on appealing to(or more accurately, appeasing the supposed conservatism of) "suburban centrist independents", rather than accepting the reality that midterms are won by firing up the base.

[brush]

38. He went over to the dark side. He worked for FOX, became one of them for money.

Hope he's not under the illusion that he can keep switching sides when he sees and opportunity and all will be forgiven.

[Fullduplexxx]

3. Wasnt he great on the fox channel

[Bradical79]

4. He's near the bottom of my list

Not sure which one I'll back yet, but I know it's not going to be Kucinich.

[brooklynite]

6. If we can get Jerry Springer in, we could do a sequel to WHO WANTS TO BE GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA

[zeusdogmom]

8. really?

Think he is past his "sell by" date.

fyi - an Ohio voter

[olddad56]

15. besides, it is Ohio, Ohio doesn't want a candidate that makes sense.

[More_Cowbell]

9. As a battleground state for voter manipulation...

Ohio needs a strong Democratic governor.

I'll never forget Rove's fit on Election Night.

[Ohiogal]

10. I'm going to vote for

Joe Schiavone. Saw him at a Town Hall last year and I liked him a lot.

[Scurrilous]

11. LOL

[Cattledog]

12. He's a Trump supporter.

http://www.cleveland.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/01/dennis_kucinich_cheers_preside.html

"Donald Trump's message of unity is critical at this moment," he wrote. "I call upon all Americans to join in a common effort to create a great vision for our country, our people and for peace in the world. Let's give him and ourselves a chance."

[OilemFirchen]

20. The only viable candidate among this group is Richard Cordray.

I do wish that Nan Whaley would run for Mike Turner's seat.

Both, however, face a purist snub. So we'll end up with DeWine and Turner.

Feh.

[Ken Burch]

24. What's so special about the Cordray guy?

If he's a centrist, that won't help...Ohio isn't the type of state where you have to nominate centrists to win(it's only states in the South were you have to do that, and only then in rare cases).

[PragmaticLiberal]

27. Don't know if anyone's saying he's special but Richard is a very solid candidate.

[OilemFirchen]

30. Experience, name recognition and electability.

BTW, the last Democratic governor of Ohio was the "centrist" Ted Strickland. Other than the odious Bob Taft, we've had "centrist" governors throughout my lifetime.

[Ken Burch]

34. Why are you putting the word "centrist" in quotes regarding Strickland?

The man, to my knowledge, had no significant progressive policies.

Ohio has elected people like Howard Metzenbaum and Sherrod Brown to the Senate.

[OilemFirchen]

39. You're the one who called him a centrist.

He's a liberal. It was your contention, however, that Ohio Democrats shouldn't run a "centrist". An assertion belied by the fact that the last Democratic governor was - by your standards - such a beast.

Yes, Ohio has had (and currently has) a progressive Senator. It also has a conservative Senator. We've had substantially more Republican than Democratic governors over the past fifty years. Such is Ohio.

Funny that, with your depth of knowledge concerning Ohio politics, you don't know Richard Cordray. Perhaps you're loathe to Google him. Fine. Google CFPB instead.

[Ken Burch]

41. Maybe Cordray will be nominated. We'll see what happens.

If he's truly the best, nobody will have to say things like "he's the only serious candidate" or in any other way to hard-sell the guy.

My knowledge of Ohio politics is at the level of U.S. Senators and governors. I never claimed I knew of every political figure in the state.

[pnwmom]

40. Ohio is a centrist state. n/t

[PragmaticDem]

29. I doubt Ohio would election Kucinich.