AP: Ohio Republicans Go After Defectors

[maseman]

http://news.aol.com/elections/story/_a/ohio-republicans-go-after-defectors/20060918131909990002?cid=946



COLUMBUS, Ohio (Sept. 18) - The caricature posted online by Republicans shortly after respected GOP attorney Charles "Rocky" Saxbe pulled his support from his party's governor candidate and backed the Democrat was telling.

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The Republicans are connecting defectors from their own party to the same corruption scandal they have been defending against this election season, implying that only Republicans with links to scandal would back the opponent.

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The GOP faithful are naturally threatened by Saxbe's defection because of his prominence in the party. He has represented many Republican officeholders and is in his own words, a "fortunate son of Ohio," whose Republican father rose from speaker of the Ohio House to U.S. Attorney General and ambassador to India.


WOW! I live in Ohio and you do not see this very often. I don't know the true reason why Saxbe (or the other two mentioned int eh story) have defected the Repukes, but this is very telling.

I don't see this kind of defection as changing someone's mind to vote for Ted Strickland for Gov., but I do see it having an impact on Repukes throwing in the towel and just staying home on election day. By the way...that would also help in Sherrod Brown's efforts in unseating Senator DeWine.

[T Roosevelt]

1. Could it be something like what's happening in Kansas

They truly feel the party has left them? Or a political move to hedge their bets (maybe knowing what's to come)?

[darkism]

2. If I don't miss my guess...

...it looks like the GOP is falling apart, nationwide.

[kainah]

3. signs of meltdown

We saw a fairly large defection of Repubs to Gov. Dave Freudenthal in 2002 and he's now expected to have an easy re-election. I do think that a lot of real Repubs are just fed up with the social issues-lack of economic discipline and crazy foreign adventures of these people.

And, hey Ohio! Couldn't you please try a get a few new names in your political kingdom? Tafts, Saxbes.... Who says this country does have hereditary power?

[DinahMoeHum]

4. Just read the following from a couple of blogs. . .

The American Prospect:
http://www.prospect.org/weblog/2006/09/post_1439.html

Seems the Ohio Republicans are "throwing Ken Blackwell under the bus"

http://stevegilliard.blogspot.com/2006/09/guess-which-one-gets-toss-under-bus.html

(snip)
...Saxbe this morning...predicted that Strickland will win in a “blowout.” Saxbe cited Blackwell’s “staunch defense of cutting taxes and starving government” as “wrong for Ohio.” He called Blackwell “intentionally divisive,” adding that his “caricature” of gay people has offended many Republicans and that his position on abortion is too extreme. Saxbe said his view that Blackwell is too radical for the Ohio Republican Party is shared “by a vast number of Republicans.”

Blackwell, who “has been drinking his own Kool-Aid,” is still working off of what Saxbe called the “Bush-Rove 2004 playbook,” which won’t work this year because of a stagnant Ohio economy, a scandal-plagued state GOP, and the unpopular Iraq War. And the GOP won’t have God to fall back on this year, either, according to Saxbe. “This regular recital of having God supporting us and somehow what we do, what the Republicans do that offends a lot of people is nevertheless countenanced by God, I think that’s a hard pill to swallow.”
(snip)


However, Saxbe still feels these same folks will vote for DeWine:
(snip)
"...of course, inquiring minds want to know: Do Republicans for Strickland -- piled onto the myriad ethical problems faced by the Ohio GOP, from Noe to Ney and beyond -- signal more widespread Republican discontent, and will they have any effect on Ohio’s closely watched Senate race? According to Saxbe, no. Mike DeWine still has their votes."
(snip)

:smoke:

[MadMaddie]

5. Perhaps Saxbe has gotten hold of some information

that will destroy the Repugs....oh say legal implications from the voter debacle.....(just speculation)

It would have to be something major to make him step back and throw his support behind the Democrat...