Sen & Gov: How Low Will They Go?

In both Ohio marquee races the Republican party has sunk to new lows of dirty politics, and shows no sign of relenting.

The Republican National Committee last night refused to take down its demonstrably false TV ad, claiming that Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-Avon) left unemployment taxes of about $1,700 unpaid for thirteen years.

The records show that the taxes were paid within a matter of months. GOP sources told the Columbus Dispatch that the ad is the result of a pledge by Sen. Mike DeWine (R-Cedarville) to "get tougher" in his attacks on Brown, following a visit by RNC Chair Ken Mehlman last week during which he told DeWine to"listen to your own people who are harder and stop listening to people who are softer. If you don’t do that, the money is going to go away." Jennifer Duffy, Senate analyst for the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, said "at this point De-Wine’s job is to make Brown an unacceptable option. This is a little bit of a Hail Mary pass. This is sort of the last shot."

Will it work? It will certainly make tonight's debate in Toledo an ugly affair. My sense is that ugliness will not rescue DeWine's faltering campaign.

In the gubernatorial race, the moribund campaign of Ken Blackwell (R-Cincinnati) and the Ohio Republican Party have resorted to questioning the sexuality of front-runner Rep. Ted Strickland (D-Lisbon), regurgitating the same desperate smear that failed to help primary opponent Bryan Flannery (D-Strongsville), and which led to an apology by the ORP and the eventual firing of a party employee a few months ago. Strickland angrily denied the charge in his endorsement interview with the Cincinnati Enquirer yesterday:

"I swear to God I had absolutely nothing to do with that," said Strickland, after a meeting with the Enquirer editorial board. "I didn't even know the records had been expunged until (Democratic primary opponent) Bryan Flannery brought it up this spring."

Speaking with an Enquirer reporter after the editorial board meeting, Strickland lashed out at John McClelland, the Ohio Republican Party's communications director, who on Tuesday said voters should be able to look at sensitive questions raised by Blackwell and make their own decision about Strickland's sexual preference.

"No, I am not gay, although it is none of their business in the first place," Strickland said. "I am married to Frances, a very wonderful woman, and have been for 18 years." ...

"A few months ago they were apologizing for this sort of thing; and now we're three weeks from the election and it's their campaign strategy,'' Strickland said. "The only thing that has changed is that they are losing."

What can you say about a party that intentionally perpetuates lies? That they have lost touch with principle and decency, most certainly. That they have abandoned any pretense of integrity. That their claim of moral superiority is revealed to be a sham.

That they're losing, badly, and they know it.