Ohio
Related: About this forumHUGE missed opportunity for Ohio Dems in 2014
As evidenced within the budget that just went into effect, clearly Kasich and the Ohio GOP feel they have free reign to run through the most draconian, misogynistic, anti-99% legislation possible. Just who or what is going to step up to the plate and mount a serious challenge to stop them in their tracks? The Ohio Dems are as weak, disorganized and inept at the state level as they have ever been. Gerrymandering certainly hasn't helped any, but the Dems could still be bringing a LOT more force to bear into state politics from Ohio's big cities if only they would network and connect them based upon common issues. Hello guys, we aren't Indiana! It's not like there isn't a significant urban-based population here. If only we were better organized, we could decimate and drive the reactionary, Tea Party-driven Republican Party from power and return some sense of progress and foresight to our statewide politics.
Instead of someone who could actually send Kasich back to his suburban refuge for good, like the experienced Mayor Mike Coleman of Columbus who has done wonderful things for that city, among them support of gay rights and community development, we have Ed FitzGerald running for governor, an almost completely unknown candidate that has merely served two years in a position that doesn't exist outside of NE Ohio and that most Ohioans know nothing about.
The Dems could have also put forward former Rep. Betty Sutton, who had expressed interest in running before Redfern through his support behind FitzGerald. You can't tell me the recent budget bill riddled with anti-abortion measures wouldn't have set the perfect stage for Sutton as a candidate to be the first elected female governor to rally the women of this state and more enlightened males against Kasich and the rest of his twisted retro bunch in the statehouse. Instead, apathy and lack of foresight prevail, leaving us sliding further in the direction of Mississippi instead of Massachusetts. You can't get much more lame than this.
Firebrand Gary
(5,044 posts)NEOBuckeye
(2,842 posts)Doesn't look too promising at the moment.
liberal N proud
(61,000 posts)If someone was going to challenge the GOP here, they need to get moving for I fear it is too late already.
Corey_Baker08
(2,157 posts)I also truly believe that former Governor Ted Strickland would have been a great candidate for a re-match with the kasich cronies...As the OP pointed out Ed Fitzgerald is a very unknown & therefore unenthusiastic candidate to get behind especially for voters in my age range of 18-30 who would have turned out should they have a reason to be excited about a candidate.
votesparks
(1,288 posts)Fitzgerald will win. Problem is, he has ZERO name recognition, and Daytonians rarely vote.
Daytonians staying away from the polls gave us Kasich.
Unfortunately, the Montgomery County Democratic Party is looked upon by locals as a tunnel to nepotism, and doesn't inspire turnout because they are looked at as old-school machine pols.