Update on the Ohio Governor's Race

Ages ago, back when I was following the stories about irregularities in Ohio in the 2004 presidential election, I signed up for Yahoo's "keyword news". Any time an article mentioned "Ken Blackwell", I received an e-mail notification. Since I never took the time to un-sign up, I continue to receive these updates, but now they are about the gubernatorial race. I suppose that's a good thing, because a lot of the time I am too busy to check news sites and blogs, but this way, if the Evil One is up to some new snake-in-the-grass" tactics, I'll still find out about it. Which brings me to today's article, which is from the Akron Beacon Journal

These tactics not for weak of heart
Blackwell fires, Strickland responds as negative campaigning, `swift-boating' begin in governor's race

Ten days ago, U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland said he was waiting for the "swift-boating" to begin.

In the race for Ohio governor, Strickland, the Democratic nominee, has been consistently ahead in the polls over Republican Ohio Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell -- as much as 20 percentage points in some. And Strickland said his own polling told him that his negatives were running low and his positives high.

That's why he was certain Republicans would go on the attack.

"I know how mean it will be," Strickland said. "We are ahead. They're going to have to become quite negative."

Within days, the attack began.

On Wednesday, the Ohio Republican Party launched a Web site, www.tedequalstax.com, attacking Strickland's record in Congress on taxes.

Then Common Sense Ohio, a Republican-leaning nonprofit group, launched TV ads attacking Strickland's positions on abortion, gay marriage and taxes.

The ads show a zebra creeping across the television screen and question whether a zebra can change its stripes.

The term swift-boating, as a verb, was born out of the 2004 presidential campaign, when Republicans attacked Democratic Sen. John Kerry by questioning his military service as a swift boat commander in Vietnam.
...
For Kerry, the attacks proved fatal; his campaign was slow to react and rebut the allegations.

Strickland said slow reaction isn't a mistake his campaign would make. "I know how to fight," he said.

Glad to hear it, Ted. We sure can't afford a repeat of 2004. Click here for the Strickland for Governor web site. You can find some Strickland bumper stickers here. And if you'd like to donate to the campaign, you can do so through the Howard-Empowered Act Blue page.

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