Will DeWine be challenged?$10M campaign frightens off opponents

[Algorem]

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050821/NEWS09/508210363

Article published Sunday, August 21, 2005

By JIM TANKERSLEY
BLADE POLITICS WRITER

AKRON - U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine's approval ratings are drooping; his home party is mired in scandal, and he has angered some of his base supporters.

He has also enticed his opponents, who are desperate for chances to gain ground in Congress next year. Yet leading Democrats seem to be lining up not to run against him.

U.S. Rep. Sherrod Brown (D., Lorain) announced this week he would not challenge Mr. DeWine, a Republican, and will seek re-election instead, shrugging off pleas from Democratic leaders in Ohio and Washington. That follows fellow Democratic Congressman Ted Strickland's decision this spring to run for governor instead of challenging Mr. DeWine.

The moves have left many Democrats pinning their senatorial hopes on a 32-year-old congressman, Tim Ryan of Niles, who allies say is leaning against the jump; Iraq war veteran Paul Hackett, who has never won state or federal office, and a darkhorse collection of retired politicians and Hollywood stars...

[Greeby]

1. I'd definitely go with Ryan

How could you argue with this?

http://homepage.mac.com/njenson/movies/timryanlow.html

:D

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

6. I remember when I first saw this clip, here on DU.

I would donate to him or Hackett in a minute. MKJ

[BQueen]

2. Jeez! He's one of the five least popular senators

and nobody wants to run? I sure hope they are just playing coy in order to avoid allowing the Pugs time to go on the attack...

And I want to know who's going after that SOB Oxley this time -- it would be nice if the central Dem powers that be figured out that he needs to go AND that he is vulnerable after last time around.

[usregimechange]

3. Hacket will only need 2 million.

[Gman]

4. I'd bet Hackett could win

he has good national name recognition, and likely excellent Ohio name recognition. He came real close in a conservative district. I'm thinking he could win statewide, assuming a fair election.

[The Blue Knight]

5. Paul Hackett would destroy DeWine.

While I favor DeWine over Voinivich; it'll be a good day nonetheless when this guy doesn't represent me in Washington.

We need to hit him over his support for IRaq War, support of Bush economic policies, etc. etc. Not to mention, he's riled up a few supporters in the evangical base.

Paul Hackett in 06!!

[WMliberal]

7. maybe 10 years ago that would seem like a huge war chest

But shit.... a large state like Ohio (even without the stolen election for us to milk more contributions) takes AT LEAST twice that to run an effective campaign. Thune raised over $16 million to beat Daschle. And that was in one of the five smallest states in the Union! http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.asp?cid=N00004572

[shraby]

8. When Sen. Feingold first ran, he didn't have

a lot of cash and wouldn't take money from the fat cats. That's exactly the reason I voted for him. Figured he didn't owe anybody anything. He turned out to be a good one, too.