AA vote

Giving Strickland 90% of the AA vote would take him to 50% by my back of the envelope math.  Still seems underwhelming and I wouldn't be surprised if this pegs Strickland's support a few points too low.

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by: zac @ Wed Jan 21, 2009 at 22:11:47 PM UTC

John Kasich isn't a slouch, but ...

I remember Kasich from the 80s and early 90s when I first started paying attention to politics, and he was a pretty respected member of the House.  He was a true budget hawk, probably best known early on for working with leftist Congressman Ron Dellums to eliminate funding for the B2 Bomber.

Then he retired and became a babbling O'Reilly and Hannity suck-up.

That said, he really seems out of step politically for the mood of the country right now.  He comes off as so "corporate," and that's really not going to play well, especially in Ohio.  For the time being, the prevailing attitude is going to be "Screw the deficit, and spend, spend, spend!"

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by: IndianaProgressive @ Wed Jan 21, 2009 at 22:21:56 PM UTC

Why John Kasich?

I've never heard of this guy until I looked him up. Apparently the last time he held elective office was ten years ago. And yes, Strickland's numbers are suffering because of Ohio's dismal economy (The Democrats are controlling most statewide offices, so who else is there to blame). Hopefully, Obama can get some economic reform that will help places like Ohio that Strickland can capitalize on.

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by: Don't Tase Me, Bro! @ Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 00:35:12 AM UTC

Because he has said

that he's interested in the job. Why else?

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by: James L. @ Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 00:40:26 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Well, If He's Interested

and considering that he's been out of elected politics for a decade, Buckeye State Republicans probably need to do a lot better, cause without them they're not going anywhere.

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by: Don't Tase Me, Bro! @ Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 00:48:42 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Ah, yes... but WHO?

Buckeye State Republicans probably need to do a lot better,

Blackwell? Taft? Mike DeWhine? "Joe" the Unlicensed Plumber?

Seriously...

Right now, I honestly can't imagine a GOP candidate that could knock Ted out... right now.

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by: ohio_anon @ Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 01:42:22 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Been praying

for "Joe" to run for something...

Ohio Gov is as good a place for him to implode as any other.

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by: tommypaine @ Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 09:44:36 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Kasich having dropped off the map

10 years ago may actually be good for his chances statewide, because he got out the door at exactly the point where the currently Bush-era began (I'm sure he cheerled for them on FOX or whatever on occasion, but that's not the same thing for voters).

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by: SC @ Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 01:22:11 AM UTC

Not really

He's nowadays known as being a basic Rush Limbaugh talking points nutter on the airwaves.  He's said a lot of outrageous things that really put him out of the mainsream in Ohio since he left office.  Strickland is a moderate, well respected Governor.  A massive change from the last Governor of Ohio.  They aren't going to let a empty-suit gasbag like Kasich defeat Strockland.  I say Strickland wins by 10-20 points aganst Kasich if that's the matchup.

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by: ChadInFL @ Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 04:46:21 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Additionally

Didn't he work with Lehmann Brothers or something.

Being from OH, I can say with a great degree of confidence that Strickland will wipe the floor with Kasich. First off, Kasich is far too conservative to win in OH. With the exception of Ken Blackwell, most of the successful OH Rs have been from the more moderate Jim Rhodes wing of the party (conservative on economic issues but not antagonistic toward unions, moderate on/disinterested in social issues).

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by: corran horn @ Fri Jan 23, 2009 at 00:28:28 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Yes

He did work at Lehman Brothers.  So far all I can find is one line on wikipedia about it, so I don't know the full extent of howl ong he worked there for.

In 2001, Kasich took a job as managing director of the Columbus investment banking division of Lehman Brothers in 2001.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J...

Considering Lehman Brothers was one of the biggest corporate business collapses in history just being associated with it is bad news.

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by: ChadInFL @ Fri Jan 23, 2009 at 21:34:09 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Strickland polling ahead among white voters

Should win in a landslide if that holds up.  I fully expect that to happen, Strickland should not be one of our vulnerable incumbents with an opponent like Kasich.

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by: skaje @ Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 02:16:10 AM UTC