Ohio 2nd Blog

From the Wulsin for Congress gmail account:

Democrat Victoria Wulsin Will Challenge Schmidt in ’08
Pledges to Bring Integrity Back to Ohio’s Second Congressional District

(Cincinnati, OH) – Citing the need for responsible and honest leadership, Dr. Victoria Wulsin announced today that she would challenge Jean Schmidt again in 2008 to represent the people of Ohio’s Second Congressional District in the United States Congress.

“When Americans are fighting in Iraq, going without affordable health care, and struggling to support their families, we need an independent voice in Congress, not a rubber stamp for special interests and the Bush Administration ,” Dr. Wulsin said, adding, “The people of the Second District deserve a Congresswoman who will be honest with her constituents.”

A life-long Ohioan, Dr. Wulsin is a public health doctor who has dedicated her career to public service, serving as an Epidemiologist for the city of Cincinnati and starting a non-profit AIDS prevention organization. She came within one percent of beating Schmidt in 2006, receiving more votes than any Democrat in the history of Ohio’s Second District.

Schmidt has already been placed on Karl Rove’s list of the most vulnerable Republicans in 2008 because of her low approval ratings and controversial record.

“The people of Ohio’s Second District deserve a congresswoman like Vic who will stand up for them and represent their values in Washington and won’t let politics get in the way of serving her constituents,” said Todd Portune, President of the Board of the Hamilton County Commissioners.

Victoria lives with her husband, Dr. Lawson Wulsin, Professor of Psychiatry and Family Medicine at the University of Cincinnati . They have raised their four sons in the 2nd District.

Wulsin’s in… Jim Parker’s in… Russ Aery seems to be in… not so sure what’s going to happen with this place.

It’s been a while, but I couldn’t really sit on this one:

Word has it that Russ Arey, Democratic State Central Member for the 14th District, and Vice-Chair of the Clermont County Democratic Party has been indicating to local playas that he’s intending to run in the 2nd. Supposedly it’s with the encouragement of Governor Ted Strickland and ODP Chair Chris “Talk To Me” Redfern. Certainly two good friends to have in your corner. Russ is a one of the most dynamic figures in Southern Ohio politics. It will be fun to see him on the stump.

As for Dr. Vic Wulsin, whose razor thin loss embarrassed the local and national Democratic power brokers, she has been sited in the Beltway since being rejected for a cabinet position in the Strickland administration. Many think she deserves another match against the Congresswoman. Personally, I wonder what she can bring to the table to match the perfect storm that was 2006.

On the Republican side Phil Heimlich, Tom Brinkman, and Joe “I like handing Republican seats to Democrats on a silver platter” Deters are rumored to be considering taking Congresswoman Schmidt on. At this point I don’t see any of them as being serious threats against her. Heimlich is damaged goods… Brinkman’s already blown his play… and Dieters, well nuff said. Besides, Schmidt’s survived two of the most grueling, back to back, elections one could imagine. Her minority status actually gives her a nice buffer since she can no longer be blamed for not accomplishing anything. Keep her head down and she’ll be almost impossible to beat. That is, unless…

The big question on everyone’s lips is what about Paul. Certainly, Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters all but made the seat a lock for Major Hackett. However, these days the I just want to serve my county fresh from Iraq political neophyte has been ground into dust and replaced with a weary, battle scarred, cynical veteran thanks to the criminal conspiracy known as American politics. Talk to him about Congress and he’s got much worst things to say about the Democrats and their non binding resolutions than either Jean Schmidt or George “son of a bitch” Bush. As for his legacy: Hell, I got to call the President of the United States a chicken hawk on the cover of the New York Times. I’m happy with that. Legacy indeed.

You do have to ask yourself how serious Ted Strickland, Chris Redfern and the DCCC are about winning the 2nd when they haven’t even spoken to Paul Hackett about running again. Word is from many circles that the Governor simply doesn’t like the man who raised so much money for him in the past. What politics and like have to do with each other is beyond me. You couldn’t kill for the press Hackett’s been getting, and his hash criticism of both sides on such issues as immigration and the Iraq war would make sure that he’ll move a conservative lock like the 2nd straight into the top tier for the Democrats. Not that he wants the job, but it does make you wonder how strong the Democrats will to win really is.

The one thing that I really hate about Democratic politics in Ohio is that it resembles more a high school clique than a political machine. Say what you will about Karl Rove, but he never let his feelings distract him from the score board.

UPDATE: Ironic that this was happening in Hackett’s neighborhood last night.

Vic Wulsin sent out the following to the Democratic County Chairs of the 2nd Congressional District:

Dear Virginia, Randy, Linda, Harold, Dave, Tim, and Chris,

Having communicated with my family, the WFC team, and Jean Schmidt, I want you to know that the numbers are “in” and I have conceded the 2006 Election for the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio’s Second District to Congresswoman Schmidt.

Your help, as well as the huge support from your counties, has been the foundation of this incredible and successful campaign. Thank you for guiding me, an inexperienced politician, to a world-changing outcome. You have made me a true patriot and a true enthusiast for southern Ohio.

I look forward to the next chapter of my service to our District, Ohio, and the USA. I look forward to building on our ’06 successes for even greater Democratic and democratic victories in the future. I look forward to the further evolution of my ability, working shoulder-to-shoulder with you, to effectively work for social and economic justice. And I look forward to continuing my friendship with each of you.

With warmest regards,
Vic

Vic made a truly amazing run.

This has been a tough one. To be told for the second time over and over again by every pundit around that you never had a chance and again come up just short waiting for the calvary to come… We never heard a good explanation from the DCCC as to why they stood silent as Schmidt and the NRCC framed the race in terms of homophobia, and racism. Maybe they like having a loose cannon like Mean Jean in the minority. Her mouth certainly launched the Democrats takeover of the house.

In the end everything hinged on Hamilton County, and the Party’s decision to focus on Cranley in the 1st ended up crippling the turnout for Vic. Gerrymandering killed Vic not so much because of the splitting of Republican votes, as because of the splitting of Democratic resources.

One hopes that this time the Hamilton County Democratic Party will review the tapes and make some serious adjustments to their methods and leadership. 2008 is going to be a big year for the Democratic Party in Ohio and Hamilton County needs to step up their game big time. (I’m feeling like a broken record on this point.)

UPDATE: Wulsin has called a noon press conference.

Enquirer:

Hamilton County completed its count of nearly 4,200 provisional ballots Monday night. While Victoria Wulsin had a net gain of 641 votes in her race against U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt — she would have to pick up 78 percent of all uncounted ballots in Clermont County to trigger a recount.

Schmidt now leads 119,201 votes to Wulsin’s 116,735.

There are around 2,300 provisional ballots in Clermont County yet to be counted.

The Enquirer’s got the latest, what little of it there is.

Meanwhile, this story has got me steaming:

NYT > As Power Shifts in New Congress, Pork May Linger

Meet the new cardinals, as the chairmen of the House and Senate appropriations subcommittees are known on Capitol Hill. Many have a lot in common with the Republicans they will succeed.

All have worked for years to climb to their posts, where the authority to grant earmarks puts them among the most powerful lawmakers in Congress. Like Mr. Inouye and Mr. Stevens, many have developed unusual bipartisan camaraderie while divvying up projects. By longstanding, informal agreement, the majority typically doles out about 60 percent of the money for earmarks and lets the minority pass out the rest. And they form a united front against limitations on the earmark process.

“What is good for the goose is good for the gander,” Senator Patty Murray, the Washington Democrat who is set to become chairwoman of the transportation subcommittee, said last fall in a speech defending an Alaska Republican’s allocation of more than $200 million in federal money for a bridge to remote Gravina, Alaska, with a population of 50. It became notorious as the “Bridge to Nowhere.”

Thousands of people on the ground didn’t bust their humps so that these pigs could get their turn at the national trough. The Federal Reserve is not their petty cash drawer. Oversight, transparency, and accountability need to be the new watchwords in the corridors of American power and any politician who thinks otherwise should feel Uncle Sam’s boot kicking their fat asses to the curb.

It takes one Democrat to pull a Duke Cunningham before the right wing harpies collectively string up the Democratic Party and use it as a giant pinata. Democrats won the majority not on how well they distribute pork but on how corrupt and incompetent the Republicans were. Any Democrat who doesn’t realize this needs to retire now while the Party is still in the majority.

BTW, it looks like Emanuel gets it. I sure hope so.

From the DNC Blog via BradBlog, who’s been doing absolutely amazing work on this front.

This all centers on Diebold equipment which will be a major issue in the 2006 general here in Ohio. It is VERY important that Democrats get ultra aggressive on election integrity since an essential component of the Republican’s strategic retreat is making it as hard as possible for people to vote and audit elections.

Nice to see the Democrats waking up on this front. For years it was like pulling teeth.

Now if we could just get Voter Action to adopt Ohio.

The latest polls put Dr. Victoria Wulsin being a contender in the ring with Mean Jean Schmidt. This match is going to be different than most other matches simply because its woman against woman. Poll or no poll, common sense says that Ms. Schmidt is going to alter her presentation when combating Dr. Vic. She has painted herself into a corner as coarse and ruthless, marathon running, anti-abortion (kinda), I support the President straight into the bowels of hell the 2^nd district of Ohio be damned kinda gal; with bleak, melancholy handlers and supporters just doing their jobs. Contrast with the charming Dr. Wulsin, who has never lied about her education, a proven problem solver who thinks outside the box, caring, energetic, who is willing to do whatever it takes for the good of the people; with excited, personable supporters and virtually no handlers.

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In a thread over at Project Logic I was asked about my opinion of the poll leaked by the Wulsin campaign and the validity of what it said as well as comparing Vic’s performance to Paul’s. Here’s an updated version of my reply:

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They’re tied! Good times, sports fans.

More at DKos (one, two) and BSB.

The polling company’s memo to the Wulsin campaign after the fold.

UPDATE: The poll questions

UPDATE 2: Vic’s got two of the DKos top recommended diaries now. Our Jeanie is such a great draw.

UPDATE 3 (Note to the Enquirer): HA HA!

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(now with better audio from Yellow Dog Sammy)

	BrownHacketpt1.mp3
	BrownHacketpt2.mp3

Paul Hackett formally endorsed Sherrod Brown today. It was great to finally see the two of them together. Connie Schultz and Suzi Hackett both seemed relieved that this was happening when I talked to them. They are the two people that I think have the best window on this whole drama.

The event started with an introduction from Cincinnati’s Mayor Mark Mallory. The whistling at the beginning is Paul getting everyone’s attention. All sounded in great form. I’ve missed covering candidate Paul. I’m sorry for the audio quality. Yellow Dog Sammy is supposed to have better quality audio so I’ll link to that when I can.

This is more than about Paul. This is more than about Sherrod. We need to be greater than the baser elements of our natures. That’s what civilization is all about. Today felt very good.

One group that gets a lot of credit for all this is the Clermont County Dems, who have been fighting to make this happen for months.

More pics over @ the site’s Flickr account.

More coverage:

• David Hammer @ AP > Hackett Backs Brown in Ohio Senate Race
• Muffet @ BSB > A Hot-headed Irishman Apologizes
• The FIx > Ohio Senate Race Looking Better For Dems?
• Howard Wilkinson @ The Enquirer > Sherrod Brown and Hackett make nice

UDPATE:

• PD Openers > Indian Hill Love Call
• Howard Wilkinson @ The Enquirer > Hackett embraces former rival

BTW, the Enquirer talks about the swiftboating rumors. The person that I was told from several sources was spreading the rumors left the campaign after it became known. I’ve heard that he was fired but I’m not sure. It would have been good if Chuck Schumer and Harry Reid had nipped that story in the bud as soon as Paul compained about it to them back in December.

There are a lot of bad apples who work political campaigns. Karl Rove wannabies. Just got to keep a watch out for them. They do way more harm than good.

ANOTHER UPDATE: Ohio2006 has a transcript.