State of the Union

Joe the Plumber on the Ohio Democrats' Cover Up

Brunner using vote fraud to hand Kilroy election?

Press release from the National Republican Congressional Committee:

Washington - Unbeknownst to voters who cast their ballots in good faith in the race for Ohio’s 15th Congressional District, Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner is working to undermine the principle of free and fair elections by changing the rules by which votes are counted after the votes were cast. In a transparently partisan act, Brunner has advised county boards of election to allow for the counting of ballots already invalidated by state law.

Brunner has issued an opinion advising Boards of Election to count provisional ballots cast by voters who failed to properly complete their ballot as required under state law.  Despite state law to the contrary, Brunner is directing election boards to count these fatally flawed ballots, suggesting the defective and incomplete ballots somehow result from poll worker errors. Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien, who is prosecuting a man who fraudulently signed at least ten absentee ballots, understands that a voter’s signature is the very basis for a valid ballot, even if Brunner and Kilroy do not:

“‘This case is being prosecuted because of the signatures,’ O'Brien said. ‘Some people in this state don't think they are necessary’ an apparent reference to statements made by Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner.

“‘Anyone who thinks that a signature is not necessary to detect or prosecute voter fraud is not living in the real world.’” (Columbus Dispatch, 11/19/08)

“A fundamental cornerstone to fair elections is that consistent and inalterable rules govern throughout the process,” said NRCC spokesman Ken Spain. “Rather than allowing the vote counting process to proceed according to law and to the rules established prior to Election Day, Democrats are sensing Kilroy’s defeat again, and are attempting to change the rules to save her skin. By counting ballots that Ohio law had previously deemed invalid, Brunner is inserting political cronyism into what should be a fair and dispassionate process.”

Another election fraud bust in Franklin County

From The Columbus Dispatch:

An East Side man was indicted this week on charges that he requested absentee ballots and filed false voter registrations for himself and others, using a residential address that doesn't exist, Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien said yesterday. ...

Six other cases were forwarded to prosecutors by the Board of Elections last week, including one involving a woman who voted twice in different polling places and nonresidents who attempted to vote. More indictments are expected, O'Brien said.

The prosecutor also sent a little message to Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner:

"This case is being prosecuted because of the signatures," he said. "Some people in this state don't think they are necessary" -- a reference to statements made by Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner.

"Anyone who thinks that a signature is not necessary to deter or prosecute voter fraud is not living in the real world."

Of course, Jennifer Brunner and Ted Strickland still refuse to acknowledge any evidence of election fraud in Ohio.

Brunner more partisan than Blackwell

The Columbus Dispatch editorial today calls out Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner for being more partisan than her predecessor:

The battles over election rules underline the need for Ohio to have an impartial referee at the top for election disputes. The 88 county boards are evenly bipartisan, but as long as the state's chief elections official is an elected officeholder from one of the two major parties, there are going to be difficulties. This was apparent when Republican J. Kenneth Blackwell was secretary of state during the 2004 election, and it is even more apparent this year, with Brunner holding the office.

A Message from Kevin DeWine

Defeat always reminds us how much we take winning for granted. 

Last Tuesday's outcome is certainly no exception.  As conservatives who believe in fiscal responsibility, limited government, and traditional values, Barack Obama's victory is not an easy pill to swallow.

Of course, we can take comfort in knowing that millions of Ohioans stood with us at the ballot box.  Thousands of volunteers fought for our candidates and donated to our cause.  In the end, however, the obstacles proved too difficult to overcome.

Only twice in the last century has the incumbent party in the White House won a third consecutive term.  Add to that the 80 percent of Americans who said the nation was on the "wrong track" and the two-thirds of voters who disapproved of the incumbent president, and the challenges became more significant.

As the year progressed, we faced additional obstacles, such as a five-to-one fundraising disparity, enormous media bias, and a chief elections officer intent on gaming the system to benefit her favorite team.

The fact that we held the presidential race to four points in this environment is a profound statement on the bipartisan appeal of our nominee and the strength of our grassroots organization.

Despite an army of 70 field offices, 600 paid staffers, and millions of dollars in paid media, Barack Obama received nearly seven percent fewer votes in Ohio than George W. Bush in 2004, and he even underperformed John Kerry. In fact, Sen. Obama received fewer votes statewide this year than Justice Maureen O'Connor, who carried all 88 counties with one fulltime campaign staffer.

The re-election of Justice O'Connor and Justice Evelyn Stratton provided reasons to celebrate last Tuesday.  We also kept a decisive majority in the Ohio Senate, held at least eight (hopefully nine) incumbent congressional seats in a very challenging year for congressional Republicans, and made dramatic gains on our nearly 65 percent control of county elective offices.

Our voter contact programs are stronger than ever.  Volunteers knocked on more than a quarter million doors and made more than two million phone calls.  We averaged between 50 and 75 percent higher contacts than we did in 2004 using new VOIP technology and more effective tracking systems.  Our ground game arguably made the difference in many down-ballot races.

Nevertheless, we came up short in too many ways. 

The author Napoleon Hill once wrote, "When defeat comes, accept it as a signal that your plans are not sound, rebuild those plans, and set sail once more toward your coveted goal."

The Republican Party is experiencing an identity crisis. 

We left our conservative roots of fiscal responsibility and limited government for the largest government expansion in history.  We also faced a growing frustration over a five-year war, the unpopularity of an incumbent president, a failure to articulate clear economic policies, and outrage over never-ending ethics scandals.  The electorate finally said they had enough, and I can't say that I blame them.

The party must rebuild, and this election provides an excellent opportunity for evaluation and reform in seven key areas:

1. Returning to our roots of fiscal conservatism
2. Building beyond our traditional base
3. Developing bold solutions to pocketbook issues impacting Ohio (economy, jobs, health care, energy)
4. Re-engaging the middle class
5. Improving our message delivery
6. Connecting on campuses
7. Implementing a zero-tolerance policy for misconduct

This is not to suggest that we yield in combating the assault on our values.  Our party's platform on the critical issues of life and marriage is clear, and I'm proud of my pro-life and pro-family record in the General Assembly.  I can assure you that we will continue to advance those core values. 

But too often our party has failed to provide clear, visionary solutions to the kitchen table economic issues facing Ohio families.  As taxes rise and government spending balloons out of control under one-party Democrat rule, voters will turn to us for alternatives and we must be prepared to lead.  We need to be FOR something, not just against someone. 

In the coming days, you will hear me articulate these ideas and other proposals for reform as I seek your support in restoring our party to greatness.

Make no mistake.  We will not throw in the towel.  We will come back in 2010 a stronger party with a clear agenda, led by new faces who offer real solutions to the issues impacting Ohioans every day.

The team of new leaders emerging in Ohio is already generating excitement - people like John Kasich, Rob Portman, Jon Husted, Mary Taylor, Mike Crites, Shannon Jones, Mark Wagoner, and others.

I'm asking you to stand with me in rebuilding our Republican Party.  As you do, remember the words of Teddy Roosevelt:

"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat."

Sincerely,

Kevin DeWine
Deputy Chairman

A Message from Rob Portman

The Republican Party's revival starts with adherence to our core principles of fiscal conservatism, smaller government, family values and personal responsibility. And not just in how we campaign, but in how we govern.

However, this is only a starting point. The key is to develop and communicate compelling policy solutions consistent with these principles. America seeks answers to the problems we face, and Republicans will be rewarded by providing them.

There is an understandable nostalgia among Republicans for Ronald Reagan. But two keys to his success are sometimes overlooked.

First, he used these beliefs to fashion innovative solutions to the challenges of his time, including the Cold War, a dysfunctional welfare system, stagflation from the Carter years and increased levels of violent crime.

Second, he communicated his policies in a way that resonated with Americans.

We must do the same thing.

This begins with forging innovative solutions, particularly to domestic challenges like rising health costs, global competition, substandard education, stagnant middle-class wages, dependence on foreign oil, environmental worries and the unsustainable growth of entitlement programs.

Instead of larger government and more bureaucracy, Republicans must offer solutions that use market forces and reward innovation and personal responsibility. Then we must put more effort and resources into communicating our policies. This includes better use of modern technologies, an area where the Obama campaign broke new ground.

In 2006, election losses were a wake-up call not heard. We should listen to the hunger for change in last week's results and offer ideas that can result in a Republican renaissance.

Rob Portman, a former congressman from Ohio, served as director of the Office of Management and Budget under President Bush.

A Message from John Kasich

Congratulations to Democrats on their victories in elections across the country yesterday.

As pundits continue to analyze the exit polls and the final election results, we Republicans must take a minute to look in the mirror, and then refocus on the daunting task before us.

Now is not the time for hand-wringing or finger pointing, which has already begun.  Now is the time to dig in and start rebuilding for the future.  We must figure out how to reorganize and restructure ourselves so that we can once again command the confidence and respect of not only the members of our own party, but voters of all stripes.

In recent years we've lost our way, but that ends today.  From here forward we must be committed to winning the battle of ideas in this country and in this state.

Ronald Reagan once captured the imagination of a country that he called a shining city on a hill.  Like Ronald Reagan, I'm hopeful about the future of our party and our country.  But as we get ready for the fight ahead, we must return to the fundamentals of what it means to be a Republican.  We must communicate clearly what we stand for, and make the case for why our ideas are better.  We must reassert the importance of limited government, lower taxes, fewer regulations, individual responsibility, and restrained government spending.

America is not about entitlement, but about being given the opportunity to pursue the American Dream, whatever that dream may be.  As Republicans we must find new and innovative ways to think about the role of government in our lives so that we are free to pursue new opportunities and create prosperity.

Here in Ohio, our economy is in a death spiral, our tax system is burdensome, and people are fleeing the state.  We must redouble our efforts to reinvigorate businesses and foster an environment that creates jobs.  This will require new leadership and a new vision as we seek to overcome these problems.

The path ahead for our party is not easy, but we must embrace this challenge.  I know together we can make a difference to reposition our party, revitalize our state and reconnect with voters to ensure a better America and a better Ohio for ourselves and the next generation.

Visit Recharge Ohio.

The ACORN squirrel's back

And he apparently "hearts" Jennifer Brunner.  This was the scene across the street from a Joe Biden rally in Zanesville today.

Politico picked it up as well - along with the audio the squirrel was playing from the back of the truck.

No one will know my name

No love for Joe Biden - confirmed

The Columbus Dispatch reports today:

Biden spoke at a school named after Warren Harding, a Republican and the last president from Ohio. The crowd was so small that people occupied less than three-quarters of the gymnasium's bleachers and barely half the floor space allotted by campaign officials.

We had the photo evidence yesterday.  Poor Joe.