Congressional Races: News and Notes

Up to the minute in Ohio's Congressional contests:

Senate: Audio of an interview with Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-Avon) and spouse Connie Schultz by Thomas Mulready of Cool Cleveland is available here.

Brown will make two stops in the Cincinnati area tomorrow with Rep. Ted Strickland (D-Lisbon) and other Democratic candidates: 8:45 am at the Cincinnati Museum Center, 1301 Western Avenue, Cincinnati, and 10:15 am at Cincinnati IBEW Hall, 4300 Milliken Road in Hamilton.

Potential GOP presidential candidates are swinging through Ohio this week on behalf of beleaguered incumbent Mike DeWine (R-Cedarville). As reported in the Columbus Dispatch and the Toledo Blade, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) were here yesterday and former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani is also coming this week.

1st District: Senate Majority Bill Frist (R-TN) stumped for Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Cincinnati) in Cincinnati yesterday and RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman is coming today. Meanwhile, the excellent blog Take Back Cincinnati pointed out yesterday that Chabot lied when he claimed that he never promised to limit how long he would serve in Congress, and the day before revealed that Chabot lied on October 18th about driving the same car throughout his twelve years in Congress.

2nd District: Rep."Mean Jean" Schmidt (R-Loveland) again made #2 on Keith Olberman's Worst People in the World list on the MSNBC show "Countdown" last night, this time for saying that she is open to the idea of storing nuclear waste in her Congressional district.

6th District: This article in the Youngstown Vindicator reports that State Sen. Charlie Wilson (D-St. Clairsville) is so confident of beating State Rep. Charles Blasdel (R-East Liverpool) that he's:

* Canceled 40 percent of his television commercial buys.
* Not mailing fliers to voters.
* Contributing campaign money to other Democratic candidates.
* Paying back some of the money he loaned his campaign.
* Bragging about it.

The article also spells out how moderate-to-conservative Wilson really is. Wilson plans to become the only Ohio member of the Blue Dog Caucus, "because of their stance on fiscal responsibility and demanding honesty and accountability from the federal government." His campaign received $10,000 from the Blue Dog Political Action Committee and $1,000 each from two Blue Dog members. He also received $10,000 from Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD), a moderate who may challenge Rep. Nancy Pelosi for Speaker of the House. Wilson said he would likely support him.

12th District: An article in today's Columbus Dispatch discussed how this district, spanning parts of Franklin and Licking counties and all of Delaware County, has changed from reliable GOP territory to a swing district. Republicans have held the seat since 1983, when former Rep. John R. Kasich (R-Westerville) beat Bob Shamansky (D-Bexley) after his first term. Rep. Pat Tiberi (R-Westerville) was a former Kasich staff member. He defeated Maryellen O’Shaughnessy (D) in 2000 by 9% and won re-election twice with more than 60% of the vote, but this year is different. Bush won here in 2004 by only 2%."Tiberi has won big in the past, but it has been against weak candidates," said Paul Beck, a political-science professor at Ohio State University. "It’s the national tide that candidates are worried about. It clearly advantages the Democrats, but no one knows by how much, and that could tip right up to the end."

14th District: Rep. Steven LaTourette (R-Concord Township) and challenger Lewis Katz (D-Pepper Pike) will debate at the City Club of Cleveland on Thursday, November 2nd, from about 12:30 to 1:30 pm.

15th District: First lady Laura Bush is speaking in Hilliard tomorrow for Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-Upper Arlington). Meanwhile, challenger Mary Jo Kilroy (D-Columbus) today began a series of comments on provisions of the 1994 "Contract With America" and how Pryce has failed to fulfill them since she was first elected to Congress that year. Today's installment is on term limits, i.e., a pledge to seek a first-ever vote on limiting tenure in Congress to "replace career politicians with citizen legislators." Pryce, who has said that "[i]t's hard to continue to revolt when you're in charge," is now seeking her eighth term.

18th District: Long-time veterans advocate and Assistant Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and Zack Space (D-Dover) will meet with area veterans tomorrow, November 1st, at 9:30 am at the Zanesville VFW Post, 1318 Putnam Avenue. Hoyer and Space will discuss why Congress has under funded veterans' health care and benefits by billions of dollars. From the press release:

Hoyer, who was first elected to Congress in 1981, has worked tirelessly to ensure that America's veterans receive the care and benefits they have earned. In 2000, he sponsored the legislation creating the Veterans History Project. Last year, the American Legion named Hoyer one of its "Unsung Heroes" of the 108th Congress for his efforts to ensure the affordability and accessibility of veterans' health care. Congressman Hoyer also successfully thwarted efforts to gut key military installations on the East Coast.