Thursday, June 21, 2012

Mandel's Troubled Campaign


Talking Points Memo has the latest on the U.S. Senate race in Ohio:

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D) went on MSNBC this morning and said that the only reason his reelection campaign is even close is because of the mountain of outside money that’s been poured into the state — $8.3 million according to NBC’s Luke Russert. But is it even close? 

The PollTracker average currently shows an 8.6 point spread in Brown’s favor, with Brown’s average just shy of 49% and he’s trending up against opponent Josh Mandel. (See the trend chart here.).....

Ohio citizens know that Sen. Sherrod Brown has been a champion for the middle class, police officers, firefighters, teachers, college students, women, coal miners, and everyone.  He doesn't have a particular constituency that he represents.  Sherrod Brown works for all Ohioans.

Josh Mandel, the Ohio Treasurer and Republican candidate, has displayed his need to be the center of attention, especially while avoiding work and meeting with his right wing millionaires.  Mandel has spent so little time attending meetings and going to his elected office, some citizens even wonder if Mandel should just resign since he seems so uninterested in being the Treasurer.  Mandel's lack of enthusiasm for his current elected office, his trips out of state, his tour and photo ops with Ohio's SB 5 supporters, and his reluctance to discuss his agenda with anyone but right wing pundits, shows a candidate unprepared for the real world.  Mandel is against reproductive rights for women, supported SB 5 (Issue 2), supported the "heartbeat" bill, opposed paycheck equity, and while in the State Assembly, Josh Mandel voted against HB 176.  According to the bill summary from the Laws, Acts, and Legislation page for HB 176, here is what HB 176 prohibits:

Prohibits discriminatory practices on the basis of "sexual orientation" and "gender identity and expression" under many of the Ohio Civil Rights Commission (OCRC) Law's existing prohibitions against various unlawful discriminatory practices....

and---

....Adds sexual orientation and gender identity expression to the list of covered characteristics that are specified in various provisions of current law that prohibit persons or entities from discriminating on the basis of most of the covered characteristics...


Josh Mandel apparently believes it is okay to discriminate against people because of their sexual orientation. 

••• David Mixner had this to say about Republican Josh Mandel:

There is a candidate or two every election year about whom everyone in both parties scratches their heads and says "How in the hell did he/she get the nomination?" Those candidates usually have a list of liabilities so long that it takes a couple of sheets of paper. Such is the case of the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Ohio - Josh Mandel. The only reason he is a contender in November is because of the Supreme Court's ruling on Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. 

In a powerful article in Politico.com, you can see firsthand the impact of that decision on keeping a totally disqualified candidate as a contender. In a moment we will list good ole Josh's problems but here is how he is staying alive. Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown predicts that American Crossroads and other Super PACS are spending $500,000 a week in Ohio without any disclosure who is giving that money! If that spending holds that means that the SuperPACS could give in Ohio alone up to $10 million outside of what the candidate raises!...


I have to stop writing about Mandel now because my blood pressure is increasing!!!! Josh Mandel appears unable to do his job as Treasurer and yet wants to become a Senator????

****  When will Republican Rep. Issa stop his political was against Attorney General Holder?  Issa should know that when the President invokes "Executive Privilege" that all actions must stop. (* Note: President George W. Bush used Executive Privilege six times.)  Does Issa even know the law?  The President is trying to protect the Attorney General of the Bush administration and our undercover officers.  Shame on Issa for demanding what he cannot have.  You can contact Issa HERE  or at (202) 225-5074 or FAX (202) 225-3974 and tell him to stop the witch hunt.