The 2008 Presidential election will likely be the most intensely debated and closely watched election in our U.S. history. All other elections, both federal and state, leading up to 2008 will help determine the outcome. One of the states leading the pack of "most watched" is Ohio.
The 2006 Gubernatorial election for the state of Ohio could easily be the most closely watched election of this year. With Republicans occupying the seat for the past sixteen years, dominating both houses of the state legislature, and all statewide executive offices, the Democrats are determined to reclaim their position in Ohio politics. It doesn’t seem to be such an uphill battle — the incumbent governor, in his final term, Bob Taft has a meager 6% approval rating and the Republican Party is losing support due to a declining economy and job losses.
The major issues facing the voters this year will be the economy, education, and the social issues that seem to dominate and overshadow many other issues, including gay marriage.
There are four candidates on the ballot: Ken Blackwell (R), Ted Strickland (D), Bob Fitrakis (Green), and Bill Pierce (Libertarian). With the two major party candidates leading in the polls so far, let’s take a look at who these men are, and what they stand for.
Ken Blackwell is a socially conservative Republican from Cincinnati, currently serving as the Secretary of State. No stranger to scandal, and with several pending lawsuits against him, Blackwell won his party’s nomination with 56% of the vote. Critics of Blackwell claimed a conflict of interest with his role in the ’04 Presidential election, where Blackwell served as Chief Elections Officer while also being one of President Bush’s strongest supporters.
Blackwell’s economic platform stands largely on the TEL (Tax and Expenditure Limitation) amendment, which proposes to limit increases in state spending to the inflation rate. He has been quoted saying that “state and local government in this state have been spending money like drunken sailors.” Blackwell insists that the implementation of TEL would help the state to operate on a balanced budget and would end the era of big government. He supports a marriage amendment to the state's constitution, making gay marriage, and possibly even civil unions and domestic partnerships, illegal, thus garnering strong support from religious leaders. Blackwell is also pro-Life.
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Article comments
1 - George Whitfield
I would like to hear more about the Green and Libertarian Party candidates and their platforms.
2 - chantal
good idea for a next article
3 - Boxclocke
It could be I'm biased since I am from Texas, but I think that the Texas gubernatorial race will be the more widely-watched one, if only for the amusement factor.
Four candidates: A Republican incumbent who was W's lieutenant governor, a Democrat nobody has heard of, Scott McClellan's mom who wanted the word "grandma" on the ballot before her name, and Kinky Friedman, a Jewish folk singer/comedian who has raised more money than everyone but the Republican.
Perhaps not as nationally significant as Ohio, but sure to draw some California-recall-style sideshow attention.
I'm (probably) voting for the Jewish cowboy.
4 - Dave Nalle
We're all voting for the Jewish Cowboy, Box. It's going to be quite a shock for the major parties.
I've been writing on the election. You can find my latest article here.
Dave
5 - Jet in Columbus
Nicely done Chantal, nicely done. With Blackwell down by double digits and him in charge of the election results I think this will be verrrryyy interesting.
DeWine falling out of favor is a close one to watch too.
With Ohio's faltering economy due to job losses
With all the Ohio soldiers lost to the war
With the Taft scandal
If the Republicans come out on top, you bet there's going to be a LOT of yelling in the aftermath.
A good read there girl, nicely done..
Jet
6 - chantal
Thanks Jet.....
And your right, ANY irregularities at the polls here in OH will cause a huge scandal, I'm sure.
I plan on photographing my polling place, taking pictures of lines (if any), documenting any irregularities (if any)...as part of a project called Polling Place Photo Project. And there's another, more watchdog-style project taking place called Video the Vote, where they're asking people to video record events at their polling places.
So this time around, at least there will be some sort of citizen-action record. Should be interesting, nonetheless!