More on the 15th

The Toledo Blade's Editorial states that Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce's (OH-15) decision to not seek re-election was the right thing to do. Here are some excerpts from the Toledo Blade:

U.S. REP. Deborah Pryce (R., Upper Arlington) can clearly read the writing on the wall. The 56-year-old lawyer is getting out of Congress on her own terms after almost losing last year's race for a ninth term in the 15th District, which includes the western half of Columbus and the surrounding suburbs.....

...... In any event, her departure comes at a time when an era is passing. She won't be the only prominent member of her party heading for the exit. Former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (R., Ill.) is leaving Congress as well. That means at least three key House figures from the days when the Republicans controlled Congress will be gone by January, 2009. Former Majority Leader Tom DeLay of Texas left under a cloud last year. Only Roy Blunt of Missouri, the GOP's former whip, remains.

What all of this means isn't certain, but it appears less and less likely that Ms. Pryce's fellow Ohioan, House Minority Leader John Boehner, will reach his goal of becoming Speaker anytime soon.

**** Republican Senator George Voinovich of Ohio still hasn't said a peep about his recent trip to Iraq. He must still be waiting to get his talking points from the White House.

ABC News:
A military airplane carrying four members of the U.S. Congress came under fire over Iraq on Thursday but the plane was not hit and no one was hurt, a spokesman for one of the lawmakers said on Friday.

The C-130 cargo aircraft conducted evasive maneuvers after a nighttime takeoff from Baghdad, said Ken Lundberg, spokesman for Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida, who was on the plane.

In addition to Martinez, the plane was carrying fellow Republican Sens. Richard Shelby of Alabama and James Inhofe of Oklahoma, and Alabama Rep. Robert "Bud" Cramer, a Democrat......

Is this an example of how well the surge is working?

Columbus In The News!

**** Are you ready for the Buckeyes? The Buckeyes play against the Youngstown State Penguins on Saturday. Fans are looking forward to a new bunch of Buckeyes, new fancy turf, and the return to Ohio State of G. Gordon Gee. The Buckeye Nation is very excited that Gee will become President of the Ohio State University again.

>>> Meanwhile, former OSU President, Karen Holbrook, is doing her best to smear Ohio State. According to 10TV.com, she said that Ohio State had "a culture of rioting" in Columbus.
Here is an excerpt from 10TV:

"I went to Ohio State and had no idea there was a culture of rioting," Holbrook told the trustees. "Any good excuse gets some of the people on the street and they think it's fun to flip cars and have absolute drunken orgies."

During Holbrook's first year as OSU president in 2002, a campus-area riot after the Buckeyes' football victory over Michigan brought national attention to the university. The alcohol-fueled melee, in which cars were overturned and set on fire, resulted in more than 50 arrests....

These comments will only help students and alumni alike to fondly (?) remember the Holbrook years. What were those years like?

(1) Hollbrook was often seen on campus wearing hats and being followed by her large entourage and staff that waited on her hand and foot.
(2) Hollbrook never really got the 'Scarlet & Gray' thing. She often referred to school colors as 'Red & Gray.' (3) Hollbrook wanted to move the Ohio State-Michigan game to a neutral site. (Yes, really.)
(4) Hollbrook issued severe restrictions on tailgate parties.
(5) An Ohio State student once put Hollbrook up for sale on Ebay (Unfortunately, the bidding was removed.).

>>>> Columbus, Ohio was the latest place where comedian Andy Dick got himself in trouble. (Surprise!)
Dispatch:

Andy Dick's run-in with Columbus police this week for urinating on a building in the Harrison West neighborhood was just the beginning of a bad few days for the nationally known comedian.

The charge against Dick early Monday followed a weekend of performances at Easton's Funny Bone Comedy Club. The club's managing partner called it one of the worst experiences with a performer in the club's history.

Dave Stroupe said Dick appeared to be intoxicated all weekend, made inappropriate comments on stage and took women into the men's room, where he groped patrons and urinated on the floor and on at least one person.....

Mr. Dick appears to be having some issues. I don't think he'll be performing at Easton's Funny Bone Comedy Club anytime soon.

Republicans Not Interested in Ohio's 15th District

There is an article in The Other Paper that says that the Ohio Republican Party has gone through their "A" list, their "B" list, and now they are at the bottom of the barrel looking for a candidate to run against Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy in Ohio's 15th congressional district. According to The Other Paper, every person who has been offered the chance to run against Kilroy has turned it down.

Mary Jo Kilroy lost to Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce by just a little over one thousand votes. Pryce was surprised by Kilroy's strong campaign skills. Obviously, Republicans consider Kilroy a tough opponent and it may take some convincing to get a GOPer to run against her.

Here is similar information from CBS News:
(Politico) Republicans have had a difficult time lately convincing some of their more highly regarded recruits to jump into hotly contested races.

-- In Ohio, former Attorney General Jim Petro (R) decided not to run in the seat vacated by retiring GOP Rep. Deborah Pryce. Then former Columbus Mayor Greg Lashutka passed up a bid. The local Republican party is now scrambling to find a viable candidate to challenge Mary Jo Kilroy, the likely Democratic nominee.....

It looks like the Republicans have some problems.

Still No Republican Candidate for Ohio's 15th

With the impending retirement of Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15), there have been no formal announcements for Republican candidates for the open seat of the 15th district. Jim Petro and Greg Lashutka have taken their names out of consideration. Who is left? Why hasn't a Republican stepped forward to save the seat? Are they too absorbed in their own lives?

> Former Columbus Mayor Buck Rinehart's name has been talked about by some GOPers. However, his DUI in 1995 might not be an attractive topic in this time of other Republican scandals.

> Then there is Former Rep. John Kasich who is an extreme right winger and big Bush supporter. Would he give up his lucrative speaking gigs to work in the House again?

> Franklin County Commissioner Dewey Stokes is well known, but with his advanced age, would he be able to keep up with the travel schedule and workload of a member of Congress.

I'd bet that even as I write this, the Ohio Republicans are making phone calls trying to find a candidate. How long will it take?

Buckeye Football!

Columbus, Ohio is the center of the Buckeye Universe. The Buckeye football team will have their home opener on Saturday against Youngstown State University. I'll be there in the stadium and I'll be wearing red. Be sure to look for me!
If you need more information on the Buckeyes, check out the following web pages:
http://www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/
The O-Zone
Buckeye Battle Cry
Eleven Warriors
Buckeye Planet
The Best Damn Band In The Land
Ohio Stadium Webcam


Franklin County is doing something to help our men and women in uniform.
Dispatch:
It might be one of Franklin County's least-used benefits, but commissioners voted yesterday to give a nice payout to employees called to active military duty.

The county will cut a $500-per-child check to help families cope during the separation....

...The money will come without strings and will be offered each time an employee is deployed for a year. Commissioners hope families will use the perk to pay for such extras as camp, sports, household help, child-care, family outings or bills.....

This is a terrific idea!

'Not Me'

The Columbus Dispatch had an interesting headline---- 'Not me,' 2 more tell GOP
However, this was on the front page of an inside section of the paper. (Were they trying to hide the story?) Here are some excerpts from the Dispatch article:

Doug Preisse can count his candidates for one of the nation's most crucial congressional races next year by making a fist.
The Franklin County Republican Party chairman has none.
"We're not panicking," he insisted yesterday after two of his party's strongest candidates joined a growing list of Republicans forgoing the race to replace retiring GOP Rep. Deborah Pryce, who has held the 15th Congressional District seat since 1993......

The other name being passed around by the Ohio GOP is Dewey Stokes. However, Mr. Stokes appears quite happy with his role as a Franklin County Commissioner, husband, and grandfather. He might not be ready or able to take on the travel schedule of a member of Congress.

Are Ohioans just sick of the Republican dirty tricks, lies, and corruption? Perhaps. I think that Ohioans just need a break from the mess that the members of the Ohio GOP created when they were in charge. Governor Strickland probably needed a shovel to get out the dirt left behind by the Republicans when he first came to office. Ohioans seem to like Governor Strickland and appreciate his work in restoring honesty and integrity to the state government.

Don't Want It?

It looks like Republicans are not very interested in running for Rep. Deborah Pryce's (OH-15) congressional seat. From 10TV.com:
Former Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro and Ex-Columbus Mayor Greg Lashutka will not run for Congress, 10TV reported Monday.......
....Petro said that he would pursue the race for Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court. That election is in 2010.

Former Columbus mayor Greg Lashutka was among the names that insiders considered for Pryce's seat but he also announced he would not run for the seat, Fortney reported.

The announcements leave Republicans with few candidates remaining with name recognition. Former Franklin County Commissioner Dewey Stokes, considered a popular Republican, has not decided on running.....

Stokes might not be interested because of the massive travel requirements for the job. Stokes likes staying close to his family.

Notes from the Center of Ohio

>>Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy is getting ready for her run for Ohio's 15th congressional district.
Visit Kilroy for Congress and help Mary Jo to victory.

>>While President Bush continues to try to convince Americans to support his war in Iraq, more Americans have been killed. According to ICasualties, there are 3727 confirmed American deaths in Iraq.

Just today I heard about more of our wounded who must travel from Columbus to Dayton to receive daily medical treatments because of injuries that were sustained in Iraq. This is just not right. Why can't they receive treatment here in Columbus?

>>People were very impressed with Governor Ted Strickland's quick response to flooding in Ohio. Strickland has made state agencies respond quickly to help those Ohioans.

>>Saturday is first home game of the season for the Buckeyes. According to Ohiostatebuckeyes.com, the football captains have been named. They are Kirk Barton, James Laurinaitis, and Dionte Johnson. Dionte Johnson is the son of former Buckeye Pepper Johnson.

GOP Looking For A Candidate for Ohio's 15th

Ohio Republicans are looking for a candidate for Ohio's 15th congressional district. With Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce retiring, the Ohio GOP is searching for someone to run against Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy. However, no one has actually stepped forward and declared himself/herself a Republican candidate for the 15th. This has only allowed various Republicans to make lists of their favorites. Here are some excerpts from today's Dispatch:

Amid growing indications that former Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro might skip the race, leading Republicans hope to persuade former Columbus Mayor Greg Lashutka to run for the congressional seat held by retiring Rep. Deborah Pryce, R-Upper Arlington.

Although Lashutka, a senior vice president at Nationwide Insurance, has not indicated whether he would run against Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy, a growing number of GOP activists believe he is the candidate who most likely could keep the 15th Congressional District in GOP hands.....

....Sources said Petro, viewed as an early GOP frontrunner, is leaning against the congressional race and is keeping open the option of running for Ohio chief justice in 2010.....

The article also quotes State Representative Jim Hughes as declaring that he is not interested in Pryce's job because, according to the Dispatch, "....I don't want to be away from my family five days a week...."

Isn't it amazing that the Democrats' 5 day work week in the House of Representatives has turned off Republicans? Do Republicans just hate to work? Does this lack of work ethic by the Republicans explain why they accomplished so little when they were in control except to rubber stamp every Bush wish and whim? Obviously, the Democrats are getting a lot done in the House and the Senate and many Republicans don't have the heart to put in grueling full weeks of work. I'm sure Republican Rep. John Boehner's golf game has suffered tremendously under that Democratic controlled House. Because Boehner and other Republicans are being forced to work 5 days per week, he is just not getting in his practice rounds on the golf courses around the country! Poor thing.

Vets Offer Opinions

The Buffalo News:
President Bush’s analogy between a withdrawal from Iraq and what happened in Vietnam more than 30 years ago isn’t finding many sympathetic ears among local veterans.....

“I think he took us to the wrong war and he lied about the reasons we went there. He said it was all about al Qaida, and it wasn’t. Now it is, but they weren’t there until he sent us there,” said Mike Heiman, a 58-year-old Lockport resident who began his 13-month stint in Vietnam as a Marine in 1968. “I think we should get out of there.”

and this....

“He makes me throw up. Here’s the thing: All these past comparisons don’t have any relevancy to the situation today,” said Jerry McDonough, a Korean War Army veteran who took aim at Bush’s efforts to use other Asian wars to make a case for staying in Iraq.

“With Korea, right or wrong, at least we went under the auspices of the United Nations. I fought alongside not only Korean troops, but Turkish, Canadian, British and Australian troops. It was part of the Cold War. It was a testing point of American will to fight communism,” McDonough said.....

These guys do not hold back at all! If Bush is losing the support of these veterans, you know his approval rating is really suffering.

More....

From Human Events:
.....An Illinois Republican source tells us former Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) plans to resign November 6 this year instead of finishing out his term. This would create a vacancy and trigger a special election in the 14th District.....

Is it possible that Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) could also resign early?

>>> With Pryce's announcement that she will not seek re-election, the Dispatch conducted a poll:
Would you prefer Jim Petro or Mary Jo Kilroy to replace Rep. Deborah Pryce in Congress?
Results:
32%......Jim Petro
50%......Mary Jo Kilroy
19%........Neither

>>>> Bush tried to tie the events in Iraq to what happened in Vietnam. Do you think he is speaking from his personal experience of what he saw when he served in Vietnam? Ooooops! Nevermind.

More Updates!

CBS News:
A helicopter went down in northern Iraq on Wednesday, killing all 14 U.S. soldiers aboard, the military said, the deadliest crash since January 2005........
....The daily number of improvised explosive device (IED) IED attacks has increased six-fold since 2003101 of the 139 anti-U.S. attacks involved IEDs....

* Still more on the possible retirement of Republican Rep. Ralph Regula (OH-16) (Yahoo News quoting The Nation):
....Another GOP congressman Ralph Regula, hinted that he won't seek reelection; one of his main reasons--his bellwether state of Ohio was "moving towards more of a blue state."
Underlying that shift, in Ohio and in many other parts of the country, is greater support for the social safety net, more concern over income inequality, and a growing belief that military strength may not be the best way to secure peace......

The Republicans are running for the exits! Apparently, the Republicans cannot keep up with the crushing 4-5 day work weeks that the Democrats are demanding.

* Mark your calendars: WOSU radio will have Ohio Governor Ted Strickland as a guest on August 31st at 11AM. Callers can address questions at 614-292-8513.

Republican Rep. Pat Tiberi (OH-12) will appear as a guest on Open Line. To direct you questions to Tiberi, you may call Open Line on August 31st at 614-292-8513 starting at 10AM. Here are some of Tiberi's key votes (Project Vote Smart):
>> Tiberi voted
............against (SCHIP) State Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization (HR 3162).
............against Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (HR 2419)
.............against Mandatory Troop Rest Periods and The Redeployment from Iraq Act.
Tiberi continues to be a cheerleader for continuing Bush's Iraq war.

Could Tiberi be the next casualty of the Blue Wave (Democrats not Michigan!!) in Ohio?????

Still More GOP Retirements?

Besides Republicans Deborah Pryce, Dennis Hastert, Chip Pickering, other GOPers may retire. The Hawaii Reporter mentions possible retirements of Bill Young of Florida and Ralph Regula of Ohio.

However, according to the Hawaii Reporter, three other Republicans in the House might leave because of legal problems.
Hawaii Reporter:
.....In addition, House Republicans fear there may be some forced retirements thanks to legal controversies facing a trio of GOP members. Rep. John Doolittle of California, Rick Renzi of Arizona and Don Young of Alaska are all under active FBI investigation for their links to lobbyists.....

I guess the Republicans believe it is better to retire than to lose an election.

Will Hobson and Regula retire?

Ohioans are wondering if two other Republican members of Congress will follow Deborah Pryce.
Springfield News:
U.S. Rep. Deborah Pryce's announcement last week she will not seek a ninth term has renewed speculation about whether two other Ohio veteran House members — Reps. David Hobson, R-Springfield, and Ralph Regula, R-Navarre — also will decide to bow out after this term.

In a statement this week, Hobson said "as of now, I'm running," but added that he hasn't completely gone through his decision-making process yet.....

Regula, 82, who is in his 18th term representing his northeast Ohio district, has not committed to running or retiring. He had $163,579 in the bank as of June 30, but at this time period in the last election cycle, he only had $114,752 in the bank.

Regula already has opposition. State Sen. John Boccieri, D-New Middletown, has announced he plans to run in the district. And two other Republicans are raising money for the seat, according to the FEC.....

Wouldn't that be a real kick in the pants for the Republicans? The Republicans enjoyed the highlife while being in the majority. Now with the Democrats in charge, and 5 day work weeks, the fun is over for the GOP. The Republicans let Bush have his way in Iraq and now they have lost favor with the American people.

Examining Pryce's Missed Votes

Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) has missed a lot of votes in the House of Representatives. An article in today's Dispatch brings some attention to those missed votes.

Dispatch:

Rep. Deborah Pryce, R-Upper Arlington, cited the problem of a congressional five-day work week and the resulting time away from her young daughter, Mia, when she explained Thursday why she would not run for re-election next year.....

However, then one of her staffers had to add this about those missed votes.

......A Pryce spokesman noted that many of the votes on Mondays are noncontroversial matters such as lauding sports teams and naming post offices.

"Yes, she missed some Monday votes, but on most of these Mondays, she was working here in the district among her constituents," said Rob Nichols, Pryce's spokesman. "And, thankfully, these post offices got named without her."

Other than your own personal illness or the illness of a family member, Pryce had no reason to miss those votes. Her constituents did not give her a pass on Monday votes. What kind of votes were on Mondays? Here is a sampling from the Washington Post:

1/16/07...Vote 24: H RES 61: Observing the Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., and Encouraging the People of the United States to Observe the Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Life and Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and for Other Purposes.

1/30/07...Vote 63: H CON RES 20: Calling on the United Kingdom to Establish a Full, Independent , and Public Judicial Inquiry Into the Murder of Northern Ireland Defense Attorney Patrick Finucane

2/7/07...Vote 78: H R 365: Methamphetamine Remediation Research Act

2/7/07...Vote 80: H R 482: American River Pump Station Project Transfer Act

3/19/07...Vote 158: H R 658: Natural Resource Protection Cooperative Agreement Act

5/16/07...Vote 355: H R 1585: National Defense Authorization Act

5/22/07...Vote 398: H R 2264: No Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels Act “Nopec”

6/22/07...Vote 548: H R 2771: Legislative Branch Appropriations for Fy 2008

7/16/07...Vote 630: H R 1980: To Authorize Appropriations for the Housing Assistance Council
7/16/07... Vote 631: H R 1982: Rural Housing and Economic Development Improvement Act of 2007
7/16/07...Vote 632: H R 799: Appalachian Regional Development Act Amendments

7/23/07...Vote 690: H RES 558: Providing for Consideration of H.R. 3074, the Departments of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies, Fy 2008

8/2/07...Vote 816: H R 3161: Making Appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Programs for the Fiscal Year Ending September 30, 2008, and for Other Purposes.

By the way, there were only 4 Monday votes to name post offices in honor of famous Americans (2/13/07 (Vote 98), 4/23/07 (Vote 246 & 247), 6/18/07 (Vote 499). Pryce missed 70 votes. We'll do the math:
70 missed votes minus 4 post office naming votes equals 66 missed votes.

No matter how you add it up, Pryce just wasn't willing to work hard for her constituents. Which Ohio Republican will announce his pending retirement next? Hobson? Latourette?

"...rats abandoning a sinking ship..."

It seems that many political pundits have opinions on Ohio's 15th congressional district. Here is a sample:
Washington Post (Chris Cillizza):
...(Mary Jo) Kilroy, already running again, avoided a potentially costly primary when fellow Franklin County Commissioner Paula Brooks dropped her bid in early July; Kilroy reported roughly $80,000 in the bank at the end of June.

The Republican field is far less clear since Pryce only recently decided not to run again. The two most often mentioned candidates are state Sen. Steve Stivers and former state Attorney General Jim Petro. Stivers, a member of the Army National Guard who spent time in Iraq, has held the state Senate seat since he was appointed to it in 2003, winning a full term in 2004. Petro lost a primary bid for governor last year to former Secretary of State Ken Blackwell.

Outlook: Until the Republican field shakes out, it's hard to make any predictions. But Kilroy's close call in 2006 and lack of a serious primary challenge this time around makes the 15th almost assuredly one of Democrats' top pick-up opportunities next year.....

The other night when Cillizza appeared on Countdown with Keith Olbermann, Cillizza said that all the retiring Congressional Republicans were similar to "rats abandoning a sinking ship."

News Observer (David D. Kirkpatrick from the New York Times):
A rash of retirements among House Republicans is adding to the party's electoral challenges and raising questions about a rush for the exits.

Four House Republicans -- Rep. Dennis Hastert and Rep. Ray LaHood, both of Illinois; Rep. Deborah Pryce of Ohio; and Rep. Charles W. Pickering Jr. of Mississippi -- have all announced in recent days that they will not seek re-election next year, worrying Republican leaders anxious to hold back a potential wave of retirements after the loss of their majority. Hastert, the former speaker, LaHood and Pryce were all well-liked leaders within their party.....

......Capitalizing on their new majorities and sunny prospects, House and Senate Democrats have trounced the Republicans in fund-raising during the first half of the year. The House Democratic campaign committee reported $19.5 million in cash and $4.1 million in debt at the end of June, compared with $2 million on hand and $4.3 million in debt at the House Republican committee.....

Don't you love the phrases "....a rush for the exits..." and "...rats abandoning a sinking ship...." to describe the plethora of retiring Republicans?

Ohio GOP Scrambling for A Candidate?

Dispatch:
The much-anticipated 2008 rematch in the 15th Congressional District between Republican incumbent Deborah Pryce and Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy was to play out on a national stage, with the balance of power in Congress potentially at stake.

But now that Pryce has dropped out, Republicans are scrambling, hoping to unite behind a candidate who can hold onto a district the GOP has controlled since 1967......

....with Pryce out of the race, it "is clearly going to be a tough seat for Republicans to hold," said David Wasserman, House editor for the nonpartisan Cook Political Report in Washington.....

....While a GOP replacement for Pryce seemed far from settled yesterday, Democrats appeared ready to anoint Kilroy, who lost to Pryce by a percentage point after a recount in 2006.....

Pryce's decision has started a real panic among Republicans. With many well-known Ohio GOPers turning down the offer to run for Congress, no one, other than Jim Petro, has appeared interested. Jim Petro, allegedly, turned down the first offer to run for Pryce's seat. Now, supposedly, he is talking over a possible candidacy with his family.

What does this say about the Ohio Republican Party and the Republican Party in general? Do they only want to run for an office if they are guaranteed to win? With a Democrat as the Ohio Secretary of State, manipulation/adjustments of elections by the Ohio GOP will be nearly impossible. Are Republicans afraid of a fair election?

By the way, according to the Dispatch article, Steve Stivers and former Columbus Mayor Buck Rhinehart also turned down the Ohio GOP. Buck Rhinehart????? (Are they kidding??????) Where will the GOP find a candidate? Is there a toxic atmosphere for any Republican? Are Republicans afraid that Ohioans are still focused on the "Culture of Corruption" of the Taft administration?

Pryce

Note: It has taken a long time to post because a large thunderstorm overnight shut down the internet here in Columbus.

There is news from everywhere about Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce's (OH-15) decision to not seek re-election.
Forbes:

U.S. Rep. Deborah Pryce, once the most powerful Republican woman in Congress but nearly a casualty of the 2006 Democratic surge, said Thursday she would not seek a ninth term.

The announcement confirmed reports of Pryce's departure and set both parties scrambling to replace her in one of the most competitive districts in the country.....

....Democrats are backing Mary Jo Kilroy, a Franklin County commissioner who lost to Pryce last year by 1,062 votes out of 220,000 cast. A re-count delayed the outcome for weeks.....

CQPolitics:

.....Her departure will be a loss for financial services companies and insurers based in the Buckeye State, coming as it does on the heels of the retirement of the committee’s former chairman, Republican Michael G. Oxley of Ohio (1981-2007). Paul E. Gillmoor, R-Ohio, will continue as ranking Republican on the Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit Subcommittee. But Pryce’s successor on her subcommittee will probably not be from Ohio. An aide to Steven C. LaTourette, R-Ohio, said he would be active on Financial Services but would likely remain focused on his present job, as ranking Republican on the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, a role important for his constituents in the Cleveland area.

Ohio’s 15th District, which takes in western Columbus and some suburbs of Ohio’s capital city, presents a prime pickup opportunity for Democrats.

In the 2004 election, the 15th broke about evenly between President Bush and Democratic Sen. John Kerry. But Bush was more popular then than he is today, and the Democrats made major inroads in the 2006 election, nearly toppling Pryce......

What really forced her to make this decision not to run? Did she do some early polling and get scared? Was her unrelenting support of Bush's Iraq war creating unwanted pressure from her constituents? Whatever her reasons, Democrats now have a real chance to gain a seat.

Update: Local news covered Pryce's announcement today. One of the reasons that Pryce gave for not seeking another term had to do with the House of Representatives new work schedule. The Democratic House majority had sessions Monday through Friday as opposed to the formerly Republican controlled House that would meet only Tuesday through Thursday. Does this mean Republicans don't like to work as hard as Democrats?

Breaking News: Republican Deborah Pryce Won't Run Again

10TV.com:
Republican sources told 10TV News on Wednesday that Ohio Congresswoman Deborah Pryce (R-Columbus) will not run for re-election.

Pryce is expected to announce her plans for 2008 at a news conference on Thursday morning, 10TV News reported....

....According to Republican sources who spoke with 10TV News, Kilroy could face former Attorney General Jim Petro, who lost his bid for Ohio Governor in the 2006 Republican primary against Secretary of State Ken Blackwell.....

You remember Jim Petro, don't you? While the Tom Noe scandal was going on, Petro took his good old time investigating it. Petro, who is an extreme right winger, would provide a great political battle with Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy in the race. The people in Ohio's 15th congressional district would just have to decide if they want to be represented by a far right conservative like Petro, or someone more moderate like Kilroy. Considering how Kilroy almost beat Pryce last year, would the Republicans really choose Petro as their candidate for the 15th?

Rumors, Rumors, Rumors

From Buckeye State Blog:

I just got a call from a reliable source, checking up on a rumor that Deborah Pryce is set to announce her retirement soon. This would be a shocker, but not altogether off the map. Afterall, Hastert, Rove, LaHood, Hobson and others are jumping off the sinking ship that is the GOP right now. I'll be following this rumor as it develops. Anyone else here anything about this?

Wow. That would be a surprise. It is possible it is a test balloon to see what people are saying? Those of us in the district know that Pryce has missed many votes. She may just be too tired.

News From Ohio

*** Ohio's charter schools are under fire. Dispatch:
Charter schools operated by Akron industrialist David L. Brennan paid board members multiple times for attending the same meeting -- as much as $2,125 per session, a state audit discovered.

That "abusive business practice" was among a number of findings by state Auditor Mary Taylor in a review of 19 for-profit charter schools operated by Brennan. They are all in Cuyahoga or Summit counties.

Taylor's audits, released yesterday, also found $2,005 in improper credit-card purchases, widespread bookkeeping errors and lack of documentation to support many expenditures......

*** Kenneth Blackwell's son is in a court fight about his bar exam. Western Star:

Rahshann Blackwell showed up for the July 2005 Ohio Bar exam determined not to repeat the grave mistake he made two years prior.

At the 2003 bar exam, Blackwell — the middle child of politician J. Kenneth Blackwell and Cincinnati Schools Superintendent Rosa Blackwell — wrote in the test booklet after time had been called. He lost credit for that portion and failed the bar for the third time.....

....Blackwell had also been arrested in September 2005 at a Laundromat parking lot in Denver when some Guardian Angels saw him looking into a black cloth bag hanging on a telephone pole. The Angels called police who arrested Blackwell and charged him with disorderly conduct and marijuana possession. The charges were dismissed two months later and Blackwell disclosed this incident in his subsequent bar exam application....

* More on former Republican Congressman Bob Ney from WTOV:

Court documents show the young chief of staff for former Ohio Congressman Bob Ney helped the FBI build its case against the lawmaker.

Will Heaton let agents record his phone calls and taped a 2.5 hour meeting with Ney, who's now serving a federal prison sentence for receiving donations and lavish gifts in exchange for his influence.Ney's 29-year-old aide also leaked documents and worked late into the night and on weekends to avoid arousing suspicion that he was working with the government.Heaton pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy in the scandal and will be sentenced Thursday. He could get up to five years in prison but is asking for no jail time, in part because of how hard he worked to help take down Ney......

No Tears on My Pillow

Trust me. No one in my house feels sad about Karl Rove leaving the White House. We should all keep in mind that Rove may disappear from public view now, but like some monster in a movie, he'll raise his ugly head/work in some other place. Do you honestly think that the Republicans will let Rove go sit in a rocking chair? He is probably going to set up an attack machine to help the Republicans keep the White House and regain the Congress.

Dispatch:

Ohio GOP Chairman Robert T. Bennett was among those receiving personal notification from Karl Rove that he will resign at month's end as White House deputy chief of staff and senior advisor.

"He sent me an e-mail this morning," Bennett said. "I think he was at the point where it was time for him. He's been there with Bush from the beginning -- 14 years as the president's chief strategist."

Bennett said Rove didn't say whether or not he planned to get involved with one of the 2008 Republican presidential candidates......

When I heard that Rove was resigning, I immediately thought of that old song....

'We hate to see you go.

We hate to see you go.

What the heck are you waiting for

We hate to see you go.'

Pryce's Priorities

From the first page of Sunday's Columbus Dispatch:
You're invited! Bring Money!
The huge article in yesterday's Dispatch detailed information about the relationship between lawmakers and lobbyists. Here is a little snippet from the article:

Earlier this year, Rep. Deborah Pryce, R-Upper Arlington, held a fundraiser in the Colorado ski town of Aspen. The lunch reception piggybacked on a more extensive fundraising trip hosted by another lawmaker, who a Pryce spokeswoman declined to name. Lori Salley, Pryce's chief of staff, noted that Pryce was raising money not for her own re-election coffers but for her "leadership" political action committee, which gives money to other lawmakers or GOP entities.

"The reason you see these trips and that they usually are PAC or party functions is because it's harder to raise money for those entities," Salley said. "So you have to be more creative and interesting."

Instead of meeting with constituents, it appears that Pryce would rather raise money for her PAC or her campaign.

How did Pryce's leadership PAC do? From OpenSecrets:

Total Receipts: $1,067,558

OpenSecrets even has the expenditures from Pryce's PAC. Here are some more tidbits---

Bob Ney for Congress: $5,000 on 3/29/2006 and $5,000 on 9/30/2005 (PAC contribution)

Friends of Katherine Harris: $1,000 on 12/15/2005 (PAC contribution)

And, on 8/19/ 2005, Pryce paid over $5,000 to rent tents for her PAC fundraiser. (Tents?)

Wow! You can find out lots and lots of stuff at OpenSecrets and it is all public information.

Pryce and Tiberi: No Shows

Republicans, Deborah Pryce (OH-15) and Pat Tiberi (OH-12) must be too, too busy to deal with real people and their concerns about Bush's Iraq war. Pryce and Tiberi obviously would rather talk to lobbyists than constituents.

Indybay:

The cost of the illegal Iraq war for Central Ohio came home here July 24 at a town hall meeting with hundreds of citizens, veterans and elected officials. For nearly two hours, the audience was riveted by accounts of the hardship endured not only by U.S. troops, but by towns and cities struggling to cope.
Benita Turner, mother of two active-duty soldiers, tearfully recounted her concern for their safety and lamented that they, as well as many other soldiers, are ill equipped.
Columbus Firefighters Union President Jack Reel detailed the extra burden placed on city firefighters, as many of their comrades have been deployed in Iraq. The details were shocking: 33,000 extra hours of overtime have been required to keep the city safe from fires and emergencies to make up for the staff shortage......
......Invited guests Mary Jo Kilroy, Democratic congressional candidate and former Columbus city commissioner, and Columbus City Councilors Charleta Tavares and Hearcel Craig heard the testimony from local activists, doctors and concerned parents. But Republican Reps. Deborah Pryce and Pat Tiberi did not respond to the invitation and were not represented.

With any luck, after the next election, Pryce and Tiberi may have lots of free time on their hands.

New Ads

There are new radio ads with special emphasis on Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) and other Republicans.
CBS News:
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has begun running radio ads in 12 districts held by vulnerable Republicans, targeting the GOP lawmakers on their support for President Bush's policy in Iraq.

The new DCCC radio ads are running in the districts of GOP Reps. Christopher Shays (Conn.), Mark Kirk (Ill.), Joe Knollenberg (Mich.), Mike Ferguson (N.J.), Heather Wilson (N.M.), Jon Porter (Nev.), Jim Walsh (N.Y.), Deborah Pryce (Ohio), Phil English (Pa.), Jim Gerlach (Pa.), Tim Murphy (Pa.) and Dave Reichert (Wash.)....

“This August we're going district by district to urge Republicans to stop obstructing progress and work with us to end the war in Iraq,” said DCCC Chairman Chris Van Hollen (Md.). “Republicans who continue to vote in lock step with the President Bush's failed Iraq policy will be held accountable."

Pryce would rather continue the war, and let Americans die, rather than admit that Bush and his policies have been failures.

>>More on Pryce....
The local TV stations have been flooded with announcements about Pryce's fundraiser in honor of her daughter, who died of childhood cancer. While I applaud Pryce's work in this area, I still question why Pryce voted against the bill to provide health care for poor children. Someone needs to ask her why she doesn't support medical care for poor kids.

Why do Republicans hate poor children?

Ohio Republicans are lying about why they didn't vote for health care for poor children.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer:

The House voted Wednesday to triple spending on a program that provides health coverage to about 147,000 low-income children in Ohio and millions nationwide whose families earn too much to qualify for Medicaid....
....All of Ohio's Democrats supported the House bill and all the state's Republicans opposed it....
.... Republicans said they were particularly bothered by the bill's proposal to couple a 45-cent-a-pack tax increase on cigarettes with a reduction in payments to private insurance companies that offer seniors coverage under Medicare.....

The Republicans said that the bill will harm seniors, but that is a lie. Why would Republicans vote against a bill to help poor children? Could it be because poor children don't vote? Could it be because the tobacco and insurance companies would make less profits? Could it be because Republicans get big, big money from tobacco and insurance PACs? You bet.

President Bush said he will veto the final children's health care bill when it gets to his desk. That is sad.

Pryce and Fellow Republicans Received Contributions From Murray

The Utah mine tragedy continues. My thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends of those miners who are still trapped.

Why do we continue to have these mining collapses?

CBS News has some information:
The chairman of Murray Energy Corp., the Ohio-based company that owns the Utah coal mine where six workers are trapped, is a strong Republican backer, a professional engineer and private pilot, and an outspoken critic of concerns about global warming.

Robert E. Murray insists his mines are safe....
.....Government mine inspectors have issued 325 citations against the Utah mine since January 2004, according to federal Mine Safety and Health Administration online records. Of those, 116 were what the government considered "significant and substantial," meaning they are likely to cause injury.....

.....Murray Energy Corp.'s political action committee has been an active contributor to GOP candidates.

The Murray Energy Corp. Political Action Committee has given more than $155,000 to Republican candidates, including $30,000 to the National Republican Senatorial Committee, since 2005, according to Federal Election Commission records.

The committee donated to Republican Senate candidates such as George Allen in Virginia, now presidential candidate Sam Brownback of Kansas and Katherine Harris of Florida. It also gave to Ohio Republican Reps. Deborah Pryce and Patrick Tiberi, and Ohio Republican Sen. George Voinovich. The committee did not give to any Democrats during the same period, FEC records show.....

Very interesting.....

Pryce Confuses Her Constituents

>Why did Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) vote against health care for poor children but vote for measures that provide health care for children with cancer? Doesn't she realize that if children are able to have preventative health care that they may actually survive a potential cancer diagnosis? If a child is provided with regular medical care, early detection of a medial problem could actually save a child's life. Is Pryce against poor children? It is apparent to me, Pryce wanted to play partisan politics with children's health care by voting with her RBFFs (Republican Best Friends Forever) and, therefore, she voted against Children's Health and Medicare Protection Act of 2007 (HR 3162 Vote 787).

>Today's Dispatch:
The question hits home in Ohio, a national leader for foreclosures on both subprime and prime mortgage loans: Have federal and state lawmakers and regulators been too slow to intervene and prevent some mortgage companies from making highly questionable loans?

......Some recent dramatic falls in the stock market, combined with a tightening of credit, have exacerbated problems in the troubled home-loan industry. Many mortgage companies are struggling with bad loans to homeowners with shaky credit ratings.

Lawmakers in Ohio and Michigan, where the story of foreclosures extends far beyond subprime loans, are especially feeling pressure to do something.....
.....U.S. Rep. Deborah Pryce, R-Upper Arlington, and Rep. Paul Gillmor, R-Tiffin, have introduced a bill that would require lenders to supply borrowers with information that is easier to understand.....

Pryce's idea sounds weak. Is this the best idea she can provide to slowdown foreclosures? Did she think about Ohioans losing their homes when she got all that money from Finance/Insurance/Real Estate Sectors as stated by Open Secrets? ( Since 1989, Pryce has received over $2.5 million dollars from PACs and those associated with finance/insurance/real estate.)

I think Pryce needs to stand back and really look at what she has said because her constituents don't feel comfortable with her views on a lot of issues.

By the way, if Pryce had delivered real jobs to central Ohio (instead of Wal-mart jobs), people would not be losing their homes.

Wouldn't You Like to Know...

What Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) says when she is confronted with the fact that she has missed 70 votes in the House of Representatives since January 2007?

Why did Deborah Pryce vote against H R 2776 House Vote 835 (Title: To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide tax incentives for the production of renewable energy and energy conservation.)? Was it because her best buddies in big oil could lose money because they'll lose some of their tax breaks?

Why the fallout from the Republican scandals in Ohio still continues? (Re: Trial for manager of Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation)

Why the Republicans still won't admit they were wrong, continue to be wrong, and will always be wrong about Iraq until they push for a total withdrawal?

How the Bush administration and their supporters feel about the 190,000 missing weapons in Iraq? (Re: Raw Story)

Why does Rumsfeld and the rest of the administration think we'll ever believe them about the death of Pat Tillman? (See Yahoo News) Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, and the rest of their supporters have lied to us from the very beginning and now they expect us to believe them now?????

I think it is very sad that we'll never get answers to these questions.

More Ohioans Die In Iraq

A look at ICasualties shows that 156 Ohioans have died in Bush's Iraq War. While our men and women in uniform continue to put their lives on the line, Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce continues to support Bush's failed Iraq strategy. While Pryce continues to stay an extra day at her home in Upper Arlington because she is too lazy to go to work in the House of Representatives, our men and women in uniform try to survive another day in Iraq.
If Pryce is too lazy to work or think she is making some sort of statement by not showing up for votes, her constituents are getting a message: It is time for Pryce to quit the Congress or lose her next election because she has lost interest in working for us.
According to the Washington Post,

Deborah Pryce has missed 70 votes in the House.

Pryce Not Supporting Well-Being of Military

Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) claims she supports the troops. However, in a vote yesterday in the House of Representatives, Pryce showed her true colors when she voted against HR 3159 (Ensuring Military Readiness Through Stability and Predictability Deployment Policy Act). Pryce says she supports the troops when she has to appear in her campaign ads, but she does her best to vote against bills that support the health and well-being of our military and their families.

I am also sure that members and supporters of the Ohio Farm Bureau will be surprised that Pryce voted against two measures to help farmers. She voted twice against HRes 599 (Vote 799 and Vote 800) which, according to the Washington Post is described as Providing for Further Consideration of H.R. 3161, Making Appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Programs, Fy 2008.

In votes this week, Pryce has voted against health care for poor children and help for farmers. It looks like she is working for her defeat in the next election.

Deborah Pryce Votes Against Children

Republican Rep. Deborah Pryce (OH-15) and 193 other Republicans voted against the Children's Health and Medicare Protection Act of 2007 (HR 3162 Vote 787). Pryce, who considers herself an advocate for children's health care, must have decided to abandon children so that she could vote with the other Republicans. According to the Washington Post, the following Republicans voted against the bill:

Robert Aderholt, Todd Akin, Rodney Alexander, Michele Bachmann, Spencer Bachus, Richard Baker, J. Gresham Barrett, Roscoe Bartlett, Joe Barton, Judith Biggert, Brian Bilbray, Gus Bilirakis, Rob Bishop, Marsha Blackburn, Roy Blunt, John Boehner, Jo Bonner, Mary Bono, John Boozman, Charles Boustany, Kevin Brady, Paul Broun, Henry Brown, Ginny Brown-Waite, Vern Buchanan, Michael Burgess, Dan Burton, Steve Buyer, Ken Calvert, Dave Camp, John Campbell, Chris Cannon, Eric Cantor, John Carter, Michael Castle, Steve Chabot, Howard Coble, Tom Cole, Michael Conaway, Barbara Cubin, John Culberson, Geoff Davis, David Davis, Tom Davis, Nathan Deal, Charles Dent, Mario Diaz-Balart, Lincoln Diaz-Balart, John Doolittle, Thelma Drake, David Dreier, John 'Jimmy' Duncan, Vernon Ehlers, Jo Ann Emerson, Philip English, Terry Everett, Mary Fallin, Tom Feeney, Jeff Flake, Randy Forbes, Jeff Fortenberry, Vito Fossella, Virginia Foxx, Trent Franks, Rodney Frelinghuysen, Elton Gallegly, Scott Garrett, Jim Gerlach, Wayne Gilchrest, Paul Gillmor, Phil Gingrey, Louie Gohmert, Virgil Goode, Bob Goodlatte, Kay Granger, Sam Graves, Ralph Hall, J. Dennis Hastert, Doc Hastings, Robin Hayes, Dean Heller, Jeb Hensarling, Wally Herger, David Hobson, Peter Hoekstra, Kenny Hulshof, Duncan Hunter, Bob Inglis, Darrell Issa, Bobby Jindal, Tim Johnson, Walter Jones, Jim Jordan, Ric Keller, Steve King, Peter King, Jack Kingston, Mark Kirk, John Kline, Joe Knollenberg, Randy Kuhl, Steven LaTourette, Doug Lamborn, Tom Latham, Jerry Lewis, Ron Lewis, John Linder, Frank Lucas, Daniel Lungren, Connie Mack, Donald Manzullo, Kenny Marchant, Kevin McCarthy, Michael McCaul, Thad McCotter, Jim McCrery, Patrick McHenry, John McHugh, Buck McKeon, John Mica, Jeff Miller, Candice Miller, Gary Miller, Jerry Moran, Tim Murphy, Marilyn Musgrave, Sue Myrick, Randy Neugebauer, Devin Nunes, Ron Paul, Stevan Pearce, Mike Pence, John Peterson, Thomas Petri, Chip Pickering, Joe Pitts, Todd Platts, Ted Poe, Jon Porter, Tom Price, Deborah Pryce, Adam Putnam, George Radanovich, Jim Ramstad, Ralph Regula, Dennis Rehberg, David Reichert, Rick Renzi, Thomas Reynolds, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Mike Rogers, Hal Rogers, Mike Rogers, Dana Rohrabacher, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Peter Roskam, Edward Royce, Paul Ryan, Bill Sali, Jim Saxton, Jean Schmidt, Jim Sensenbrenner, Pete Sessions, John Shadegg, John Shimkus, Bill Shuster, Michael Simpson, Adrian Smith, Christopher Smith, Lamar Smith, Mark Souder, Cliff Stearns, John Sullivan, Tom Tancredo, Lee Terry, Mac Thornberry, Todd Tiahrt, Pat Tiberi, Michael Turner, Fred Upton, Timothy Walberg, Greg Walden, James Walsh, Zachary Wamp, Dave Weldon, Jerry Weller, Lynn Westmoreland, Ed Whitfield, Roger Wicker, Heather Wilson, Joe Wilson, Frank Wolf, Don Young, Bill Young

These people should be ashamed of themselves. These Republicans have been quite willing to provide Bush with blank checks for the war in Iraq without batting an eye, but they are not capable of standing up for the children of this country.

We will remember in November 2008 that these Republicans voted against the health of American children.

*** Update on Pryce's voting record: As of today, according to the Washington Post, has missed 68 votes since January.