Cole Campaign Keeps Momentum Going in the 41st

• Author: Ben Keeler
• Filed under: Local, Ohio Government, Williams / Cole
• Date: Aug 20,2008

Back in June, I discussed the Ohio House race in the 41st District (PDF of the district location in Summit County). Republican Randy Cole is running to unseat Democrat Brian G. Williams, who was first elected in 2004. In that post, I described how Williams replaced similarly named Republican Bryan C. Williams for the seat, which is one of the big reasons he was selected by Democrats to run in the first place (name confusion). New Brian Williams won by 279 votes out of about 64,700 total votes. He has done next to nothing for the district since he was elected unless you count collecting a paycheck in addition to his retirement check from the state from his time in the Akron schools.

Since my initial writing, Cole has received the endorsement of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce Political Action Committee and the Ohio Society of CPAs. He was also recognized as one of Akron’s "30 for the Future" by the Greater Akron Chamber of Commerce. Cole was also the only candidate running against a two term incumbent who received the Ohio Chamber endorsement. Also since my first post on this race there has been no status change in the legislative accomplishments of Brian Williams; he has still just introduced 4 non-important bills, of which exactly 0 have passed.

The number one focus for Randy continues to be the economy - as it has been from the start. He is still stressing the importance of dealing with our lagging economy throughout his campaign and his plan to use our regional strengths to our advantage. At the event on Sunday I heard him repeat that he is frustrated by the fact that when knocking on doors people in this area constantly tell him they have to get on a plane to see their children and/or grandchildren because they have gone elsewhere looking for better employment. He thinks this can change with the right leadership. Currently the 41st is without such a leader in the Ohio House.

This past weekend, the Cole campaign had an ice cream social and family get together at the Bath Community Center that attracted a good number of local residents. The picture above is Randy briefly addressing the crowd as they enjoyed the food. Below the fold are a few of the other pictures I took.
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Regula on Energy

• Author: Ben Keeler
• Filed under: Congress, Local
• Date: Aug 14,2008

Part II of my interview with Congressman Ralph Regula. Here he discusses the current energy situation. As you will see, Regula is in favor of more drilling here at home and off our coasts and he explains why. In my opinion, he makes a very strong case. The clip runs just over three minutes.

Once again, a big thank you to Congressman Regula for the interview. As someone mentioned in the comments on the first half of the video, he is not running for reelection so he wasn't doing this for any political gain. Regula is legendary for his constituent service, and now I see why.

Regula Reflects on Career

• Author: Ben Keeler
• Filed under: Congress, Local
• Date: Aug 12,2008

Yesterday morning I had the privilege of sitting down with Congressman Ralph Regula, the Republican who represents the 16th District. Regula is currently the second longest serving Republican in the House and the longest continuous term of anyone ever from Ohio. He was first elected in 1972 and will be wrapping up his 18th and final term this year. In October, he announced he would not be running for reelection.

In Part I of the video (just under 5 minutes), Regula reflects on his career and discusses why he decided now was the time to step aside. Specifically, he talks about funding medical facilities and working with John Seiberling to establish the CVNP.

Part II (posted tomorrow) focuses on energy and gas prices and the current situation on the House floor. Regula also discusses the Ohio political landscape and Mt. McKinley.

Thanks again to Congressman Regula for the time yesterday.

(banging my head against my desk)

• Author: Ben Keeler
• Filed under: Arshinkoff / Coughlin, Local
• Date: Aug 5,2008

Ohio.com has the story:

Summit County Republicans unanimously picked Gloria Rodgers — a nurse and party stalwart who lives in Stow — to run for County Council this November.

Rodgers replaces John Widowfield, who dropped out of the District 3 race in May after resigning from the state legislature amid allegations that he used campaign money to buy OSU football tickets and resold the tickets for a profit on eBay.

The two other applicants were Louise Heydorn, who holds the council seat, and Gene Haas, a retired colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve and Akron schoolteacher and administrator.

Rodgers will be a "top-flight candidate," he (Arshinkoff) said.

That last line is a kiss of death.

Louise Heydorn is the incumbent - the only Republican on Summit County Council. She was defeated by John Widowfield in the March primary. Widowfield ran against Heydorn per the wishes of Party Chairman Alex Arshinkoff. The grand plan kind of hit a snag when Widowfield resigned from his Ohio House seat in May due to an Ohio State ticket problem and subsequently withdrew from the race for council.

Fourteen members of Arshinkoff's Executive Committee managed to show up for the meeting last night and they proceeded to elect Gloria Rogers on the recommendation of Arshinkoff. Big shock. Heydorn had a majority of the Summit County Republican Central Committee members that reside within her district sign a petition supporting her. Didn't matter. Towards the end of Monday's meeting, Heydorn tried to address the Executive Committee. Arshinkoff refused to allow her to speak and immediately adjourned the meeting. Leadership on display.

Actually the best part of the story might be this: Summit County GOP central and executive committee officers met Saturday to review applicants. Monday night, they recommended Rodgers to a committee made up of executive committee members who live in District 3.

Yeah, I am sure there was a lot of "reviewing" of the applicants.

I just want to reiterate one thing: LOUISE HEYDORN IS THE INCUMBENT!!!!!!!!! I almost never use caps lock - I hate when people do it - but this warranted usage. Seriously. They passed on the only elected Republican on Council (11 members). Common sense you tells you Heydorn would have the best chance of keeping the seat, but that isn't how decisions are made . Heydorn didn't back Arshinkoff that fateful night at Tangier (and really why would she have) so she had no chance Monday evening. Arshinkoff and team picked someone loyal to him rather than the best candidate. Standard procedure.

Let me be clear - I wouldn't know Gloria Rodgers if she walked up to me tomorrow and slapped me. So this is nothing against her. The article said she is a nurse, so Gloria, if I am ever in an accident and you are attending to me, this is not personal against you. Louise Heydorn is just the better candidate.

There you go. The Summit County Republican Party. Hey, at least we are running someone, right? But I do want to genuinely thank Mr. Arshinkoff - all day I have been working on an Electoral College update and just can't get the wording right. One of those "writer's block" things. Then this story came along and you solved my problem at least for one night. Thanks Chairman.

To be fair, I reported in June that the pick was likely to be Den Robart. That was the name being tossed around, confirmed by a few people, and it turned out not to be correct. I apologize. Though I did know it there was no chance in hell it would be Heydorn. That was the easy one to get right, however.

Summer Fever of Corruption

• Author: Ben Keeler
• Filed under: Congress, Local, National Landscape 2008, Scandalous
• Date: Jul 30,2008

"Guess what? I got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell." I don't think there will be any objections to working that classic reference into a post here. Anyhow….

I'm not sure that anyone was shocked (or even remotely surprised) by Monday's joint FBI and IRS raid in Cleveland. How could you be? Everyone has known for a long, long time how the game is played in Cuyahoga County. The top two targets are County Auditor Frank Russo and County Commissioner and Chairman of the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party Jimmy Dimora. The FBI served search warrants at the Cuyahoga County administration building, the data center, the county engineer's office and the homes of the two gents named above. The federal investigation revolves around on allegations that Dimora and Russo, among other things, traded jobs and county contracts for improvements to their own homes and properties.

Jill at Writes Likes She Talks has PDF's of the search warrant and items taken during the raids.

Cleveland Scene (who recently merged with the Free Times) ran an absolutely great piece on Jimmy Dimora back in January of 2007. This excerpt from the piece summed it up pretty well: But this is how things work in Jimmy's county, where a check with enough zeroes can take care of anything. He's an old-time political boss in the truest sense of the word. Yet while the urban bosses of old made sure to care for the people before fattening up themselves, Jimmy forgot the part about the people.

Typically when the FBI swarms on your office and house, that is not a good sign. They just don't do it to do it.

And on all top of this, the morning the story comes out, the house of Cleveland Councilman Joe Cimperman goes up in flames early that same morning. Ruled arson. Not even going to speculate on that.

"Probably just a Republican attempt to (fill in the blank)," is the line we might hear from a few Democrats. Sometimes that works. It won't this time. Not when basically every elected official in the county is a Democrat. But it won't matter politically. A new batch of Democrats will rise to power in the county and the same story will be written on a blog by someone in approximately 20 years.

On a side note, I was in Cleveland for the first time since October yesterday. It is about as bad I remembered it.

However, Republicans have their own problems to worry about in Alaska………..
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Summit County Dems Hold FDR Dinner

• Author: Kyle Kutuchief
• Filed under: Local, Ohio 2008, Sutton / Potter
• Date: Jul 21,2008

Last night, the Democratic Party of Summit County held its 9th annual FDR dinner at Todaro's Party Center. There were about 450 people in attendance and the event is held to present awards to those Democrats who have distinguished themselves in their service to the county party over the past year. It was a chance for the county party to have its leadership and supporters come together under one roof before the upcoming fall campaign season kicks into full swing. The two featured guest speakers were Congresswoman Betty Sutton and State Treasurer Richard Cordray, who is the candidate for Ohio Attorney General.

2008 has been a year of accomplishment for Congresswoman Sutton. She recently introduced a bill, the Stop-Loss Compensation Act in the House (H.R. 6205), which would require the Pentagon to pay affected troops an additional $1,500 for each month their service is extended. In her remarks, Sutton focused on supporting our veterans and getting the economy back on track. She has also been chosen by her fellow Democratic Freshmen to serve as President of the 49 Member class of 2006, known as the “majority makers” and discussed how important the three special election victories were for Democrats this past year. Sutton stressed the importance of electing Barack Obama to be the next president and making sure Democrats win here in Ohio.

It has been my experience that attorneys tend to make the best speakers on the stump. State Treasurer Richard Cordray is a perfect example. With no notes, he gave an eloquent speech where he laid out how he became our candidate and how he plans to win this fall. He described the Attorney General as someone who should be somewhere in between Ohio's top cop and a civil lawyer. He promised to enforce the law evenhandedly, prosecute the guilty, and exonerate the innocent. Cordray also discussed the patriotism of dissent in a democracy led by President Bush. He ended by thanking the Summit County Democrats and said "you guys get it done." Hopefully we will again this fall.

You can view more pictures from the FDR Dinner at my other blog thechiefsource.com.