OhioNews Bureau: Ohio Treasurer Richard Cordray, a Democrat approaching his first year in office, has acknowledged in a published report what others, especially new Gov. Ted Strickland, may be unwilling to say so forcefully in pubic these days, namely, that many Buckeye families are now in a financial crisis.

Cordray, a candidate who surfed into office last year with new governor Strickland and other Democratic candidates atop a wave of dissatisfaction with 16 years of Republican rule, is using the tools of his office, which generally pale in power or popularity with those of governor or attorney general, to set up a first-of-its kind, interactive financial-literacy Website called Your Money Now.

Depending on whether you are hind-sighted or fore-sited will determine whether Cordray's cool, informative and playful plan is defensive or proactive.

(ePluribusMedia OhioNews Bureau)

The GOP polling strategist who says it’s not what people say that’s important but what they hear, hopes GOP presidential hopefuls hear his latest message about how they can reverse their political fortunes in 2008.

In spite of the increasing uphill battle GOP candidates face in distancing themselves from eight years of a bloated, incompetent Bush White House that wants endless war no matter what the cost in lives or treasure for Americans or anyone else and that acts like it’s the only branch of government that matters, Frank Luntz,  author of the book "Words That Work: It’s not What You Say, It’s What People Hear," offers a "comeback strategy" to Republicans in an op-ed story in the Los Angeles Times that offers a sliver of hope to the all-male, all-white revue.

I did search for Strickland and Ohio tags and didn't find this; I've heard of this before, but I'm surprised that Suddes used the words "done deal;" however, he is usually well ahead of the curve on state political news so I don't find it laughable or anything.

http://www.cleveland.com/...

What do you all think?  Putting aside any opinion I have of Hillary (and I don't share the negative view of her that many have on here, but I'm aware of her and the other candidates' strengths and weaknesses, and undecided as to any particular favorites) I don't think this would be the greatest move.

That's simply because Strickland has done a fine job as governor so far and it'd be hard to rock the boat after only 2 years.  Lee Fisher would take over, and I'm fine with him as a person, although he hasn't made enough of a name for himself for me to be 100% comfortable with taking the reins.

Ran out of my 1150 intro characters so I copied some stuff over to the flip...

Ohio Governor Ted Strickland believes every Ohioan deserves quality health care. And Governor Strickland is willing to put his money where his mouth is.

Recently, The Columbus Dispatch ran a story noting that Strickland has declined employer-paid health insurance for himself and his wife Frances, since he was elected to Congress in 1992. Noted was his decision to switch to a health insurance plan offered Ohio state government workers and pay for the premium, at least $10,646 for him and Frances, out of his own pocket.

It is a principled stand that has cost him close to $100,000 since 1992. But Ted has done this because he believes that elected leaders would be more likely to support making sure everyone had health insurance coverage if they knew how much it actually cost by paying for it themselves.

It's characteristic of bullies and blowhards that they have their minions do their dirty work for them, because the bullies and blowhards are too cowardly to do it themselves.  Therefore, it's no surprise that George Bush has had the Ohio Republican party answer another letter from Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland asking for the president's promise to equip and train Ohio's National Guard troops who are being deployed overseas:

[I] wrote to you [on April 27, 2007], asking for your assurance that prior to deployment, every Ohio Soldier is provided with the most up-to-date equipment and that every Ohio Soldier receives appropriate training.

I have yet to receive a response. And now, another alert order has been issued for Soldiers in the Ohio National Guard.

So I know that redundant diaries arent really allowed on the site,  but I read this quote from Mr. McAuliffe about the Governors race in Ohio, and I had to comment it and draw further attention to the sheer ineptitude of this DC hack...

An editorial today by Robert Parham, Director of the Baptist Center for Ethics, provides an extensive summary of Democrats who made their religious faith a major part of their campaigns.

My husband (Timroff) is working Election Protection. He reports that a co-worker talked to a lone lady standing outside a voting place in Euclid Ohio, which is a democratic stronghold on the east side of Cuyahoga county--65 to 70% Democratic.  

The lady stated when asked that she's a Republican, and that the Republican party gave her a sign to hold that says "Democrats for Blackwell."  

There are no Democrats for Blackwell.  Ken Blackwell is the Republican candidate, and he has frought the Secretary of State's Office with scandel and backdoor dealings, the likes of which do Rove proud.

Poll open in less than 12 hours, and this marks the final edition of FTP. Has it only been about six weeks? Good lord, it seemed like a second job on some days, including today (of course) as we see the final push of polls before the "only poll that matters"...tomorrow.

Cautionary note--I am sure I have missed a few. Sorry. Today was a work day, and I also had a few other obligations today. I got what I could, which is two national polls and over 50 individual races.

Follow me below the fold for the last of it.....

Survey USA has released its last batch of polls!  It's mostly CW, but with some good news in a few races...

First the good news:
MO-Sen: McCaskill 51% Talent 42%
VA-Sen (released by the sponsor earlier): Webb (D) 52%, Allen (R) 44%
OH-Sen: Brown (D) 54% DeWine 42%
OH-Gov: Strickland (D) 55% Blackwell 38%
TN-Gov: Bredesen (D) 62% Bryson (R) 34%
AR-Gov: Beebe (D) 51% Hutchinson 42%

Neither good nor bad so much, but moving in the right direction for Survey USA polls:
MD-Sen:  Cardin (D) 49% Steele (R) 46%
MD-Gov:  O'Malley (D) 50% Ehrlich 47%

There's some bad news too:
TN-Sen: Corker (R) 51% Ford (D) 46%
KY-04:  Davis (R) 49% Lucas (D) 43%

I don't see that anyone has reported this yet. It's showing at the top of recent polls at Pollster.com...

Polimetrix, as part of the Cooperative Congressional Election Study, which brings together prominent political science researchers from around the country to do a massive national poll just before the election, has a raft of results just released. But I thought the one everyone most wants to hear is this one {pdf}:

Lieberman 48
Lamont 44
Schlesinger 5

DO NOT QUIT!
<more>

Three new national polls, and polling in 47 individual races, marks the penultimate edition of FTP. In so doing, I will also endeavor to alleviate the hand-wringing that strikes so many folks today (myself included).

Follow me below the fold for the numbers, and the analysis.

Although the paper is generally a GOP propaganda rag, the Columbus Dispatch conducts polls that are widely regarded as the most accurate and best predictor of results in Ohio. Today the Dispatch has published its final pre-election poll, commenting that the numbers look staggering for Democrats. In all of the state-wide races, the Democratic candidates have double-digit leads, some of them by crushing margins, and the lead has been widening in nearly all of them since the September 24th poll. If these numbers hold up on Tuesday, we will be looking at Blue Buckeye blowout of historic proportions.

As noted by the Dispatch, a strong turnout on Tuesday is the GOP's only hope. They were very good at it in 2004, so it looks like GOTV is everything and the only thing that counts over the next two days.

Wow! A complete sweep. Although the polling sample has 8% more Democrats voting than GOP (sounds about right). Also, the poll found that 35% of respondents are voting a straight DEM ticket. The last poll was 9/24/06.

Lets just hope that the rain holds off for election day.

Governor
(D)Strickland   67 (52)
(R)Blackwell    31 (33)

US Senate
(D)Brown         62 (47)
(R)DeWine       38 (42)

Secretary of State
(D)Brunner       58 (36)
(R)Hartmann     37 (28)

Auditor
(D)Sykes       55 (44)
(R)Taylor       45 (32)

AG
(D)Dann            55 (39)
(R)Montgomery   45 (47)

Treasurer
(D)Cordray      64 (45)
(R)O'Brien       36 (34)

As we head into the final weekend of Election 2006, it is...I must say...an awfully quiet polling day here at FTP.

For the second day in a row, we have no national surveys, and we have new numbers in 32 individual races. While this is not a light day, it is lighter than I expected four days before the election. Oh well, less work for me (!).

The gory (or...not so gory) details after the jump....

This is one of three diaries covering Ohio races. The other diaries cover OH-Sen and OH-01, OH-02, OH-06, OH-15. Here is a link back to the master diary. Every campaign may also be readily accessed from Tomtech's Campaign Locator. An overall live aggregate of all races may be followed at Jotter's Complete Results. An asterisk after the candidate name indicates an incumbent officeholder.

OH-Gov - 94% reporting
Ted Strickland (D)	2,166,757	60%
Ken Blackwell (R)	1,355,536	37%

OH-SoS - 87% reporting
Jennifer Brunner (D)	1,711,055	54%
Greg Hartmann (R)	1,319,735	41%

OH-04 - 100% reporting
Richard Siferd (D)	83,929	40%
Robert Jordan (R)	126,821	60%

A bit late tonight, unfortunately (had to be Dad tonight...the better half is coming back from a business trip).

No new national polls today, curiously, but we do have new numbers in a total of 35 races today. Follow me below the fold for the numbers.

For the Republicans' 72-hour plan to work enough for Ken Blackwell to have even the slightest shot at upsetting Ted Strickland, Blackwell will have to get the biggest push from conservative churches. The most prominent is Rod Parsley of the World Harvest Church in Columbus.

Churches are not allowed to directly endorse any candidate, but these are desperate times for Ohio Republicans and nothing would shock people who live here. We need to have people willing to go to these services on Sunday, armed with tape recorders, to make sure the Parsleys of Ohio don't cross the line and make sure they're held accountable if they do.

In the 2004 election, I had neighbor tell me he had gone to his church (not the Parsley one) and was lectured to by Zell Miller, Hannity and J.C. Watts about their duty to vote for Bush. It made my blood boil. That kind of stuff probably tipped the election to Bush. We must not let that happen again. It may be too difficult to organize a formal church watchdog list, but we do need to have to know what is said in the pulpits on Sunday.