The call came on my cell phone early Wednesday morning from the Ohio Democratic Party in Columbus. As I drove back from a Social Security Disability hearing in Cincinnati, I was informed that the man who intended to run on the Democratic ticket for the House Representative seat in the 67th District had decided not to run after all. The spot was now vacant, and the Ohio Dems were desperate for a candidate. The deadline for filing was 4:00 PM the next day, and I was the only prospect on their list. I told the caller that I would give it serious thought and phone her back with my decision in a few hours.
By then I had entered Warren County, the red zone. The 67th District covers most of Warren County, a beautiful and relatively prosperous region of Ohio with 100% of its elected leaders wearing the Republican brand. When George W. Bush was getting flack over the torture and prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib prison and the questionable existence of WMD's during his re-election campaign, he visited the county seat of Lebanon and was greeted like a king. Likewise, when McCain chose Palin as his running mate, one of the early stops was Lebanon because it was such a great PR opportunity. Throngs of supporters cheered in the streets surrounding The Golden Lamb, Ohio's oldest inn, and I had a firsthand view of it from the second story window in my law office. The enthusiasm and commotion in the streets below would leave anyone with the impression that Obama was doomed come November.
And that's the way it is in Warren County, Ohio. To the Democrat, it feels like the whole world is Republican and to challenge that label is nothing short of laughable. To run as a Democrat with serious hopes of winning is also laughable. And yet, at 2:00 PM on Wednesday, February 17, I called back the Ohio Dems and said "I'm in." Ironically, it was the recent upset in Massachusetts in which moderate Republican Scott Brown seized Ted Kennedy's former senatorial seat that pushed me over the edge. In that election, Martha Coakley shared the same kind of "resting on your laurels" complacency of most elected Republican officials in Warren County. As a Democrat in blue territory, Coakley obviously thought the Republican Scott Brown didn't stand a chance, and thus she put little effort into her campaign. This gave Brown the underdog advantage. One should never underestimate the opposing party, no matter how improbable the climate for victory.
According to Wikipedia, "A
miracle is an unexpected event attributed to divine intervention." A moderate Democrat can win as state representative in Warren County, but only with the assistance of God. And I'm not talking a little comfort along the way; a few prayers heard during the campaign. I'm talking Moses and the burning bush kind of grace. Jesus turning water into wine. This begs the question: why should God grant us a miracle?
The answer is simple: God loves balance. Look at the seasons: hot, cold, dry, wet. The same holds true in the world of politics. One party rule is NEVER a good thing. To have 100% of the elected officials in the 67th District wearing red caps means that a big chunk of people (Democrats being a little over 30%) are not being represented. That said, the logical conclusion remains that there is no way for a candidate to win with a little over 30% of the ticket. That's where the Independents of the 67th District figure into the equation. The good news is that the MAJORITY of voters in the 67th District are neither Democrat or Republican, but call themselves Independents. These people vote for the person in each election, not necessarily along party lines.
And so, through this blog, I want the Independent voters of Warren County to get to know me, and also the Republicans who are open to crossing party lines. And I will get to know all of you. Personally, I have always believed that one must vote for the person, not the political label. I have voted for local Republican officials in previous elections in Warren County because I knew they would make good leaders. We as a nation and as a county need to get beyond partisan lines and hostile gridlock and elect people who can competently serve. Let's talk about real solutions to real problems. Please send me your questions and concerns!
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