The Observation Deck

FitzGerald's governor race was always going to be an uphill climb.
Lower vote turnout in non-presidential years gives the GOP the advantage.

Plus, Kasich has done a good job distancing himself from the Teabaggers....which will help him in suburban areas around Cleveland and Columbus.

The lieutenant governor nominee looks like a complete disaster.

I predict Kasich wins by a comfortable margin.

Thoughts?

Mike,

This will probably get more comments in the “Lakewood General Discussions” forum.

Matt

I was not aware FitzGerald had been nominated yet.

in addition, I was under the impression the lieutenant governors ran separately from the governor.

If he needed a minority, he could have always chosen some kind of hispanic or asian.

Fitz is making this too easy for Kasich. I am now wondering if someone else is going to pop up from the D's and run.

http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2014/01/ed_fitzgerald_chooses_dayton-a.html?fb_action_ids=10152226388241060&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_ref=s%3DshowShareBarUI%3Ap%3Dfacebook-like&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%5B1443917462491135%5D&action_type_map=%5B%22og.likes%22%5D&action_ref_map=%5B%22s%3DshowShareBarUI%3Ap%3Dfacebook-like%22%5D

A twice-failed candidate for Congress known as a staunch defender of abortion rights, Neuhardt replaces State Sen. Eric Kearney, whose business-related financial problems became a distraction to the campaign and forced him from the ticket last month.

Neuhardt's an odd choice - a seemingly calculated option to improve his poll numbers among women, a demographic in which a November Quinnipiac poll showed him inexplicably behind Kasich, but such a naked ploy suggests he's more concerned with winning than actually governing. What's her qualification to be Lt. Governor beyond her pro-choice activism? Aren't there other available female candidates with elected office or extensive real-world experience? I guess Betty Sutton was already asked and declined.

It's kind of sad that Fitz has decided that he can't win on issues of leadership, good government, etc. and has to put almost all his chips on a partisan wedge issue to distinguish himself from the incumbent.

Hamilton County commissioner Todd Portune just announced that he's also running for the Dem nomination, but hasn't formally filed yet - waiting to see what kind of support he can muster. Given how long Fitzgerald's been campaigning already, and the Democratic establishment he's pulled in, I don't know how good Mr. Portune's fortunes look.

All told, though, I'd still vote for a ham sandwich over Kasich. Who's running in the Ham Sandwich party?

Michael Deneen wrote:FitzGerald's governor race was always going to be an uphill climb.
Lower vote turnout in non-presidential years gives the GOP the advantage.

Plus, Kasich has done a good job distancing himself from the Teabaggers....which will help him in suburban areas around Cleveland and Columbus.

The lieutenant governor nominee looks like a complete disaster.

I predict Kasich wins by a comfortable margin.

Thoughts?

Maybe not.

One of the electoral strategies of the Democratic Party is to divide the country by race, sex, income level and nationality. They have mostly succeeded. What that means is that economic policy or foreign policy or or the state of the economy are irrelevant.

It's like some countries in the Middle East where all that matters is what tribe you belong to. Even if your guy brings desolation it's ok because he is your guy.