Just over a month ago, Ohio State Sen. Kevin Coughlin announced his candidacy for Ohio Governor.
3BP, thanks to some reliable sources, is able to be the first to announce that by the end of the month Coughlin will quit the Governor's race and instead become a candidate for Secretary of State.
Back in January when Coughlin for Governor rumors first started surfacing, Buckeye State Blog proudly proclaimed this as evidence that Kasich wasn't running.
They couldn't have been more wrong. Shocker, I know.
While I'm sure Coughlin wants to be Governor, he likely entered the Guv race in hopes that the Party establishment would make financial/political committments to him in order to avoid a Primary against Kasich. I can't say I blame him. This is a tactic that has been used, with mixed success, by potential candidates for years. This time, it didn't work.
In reality, I'm sure the Kasich people never saw him as a threat. They knew he would bolt as soon as John officially entered the race. So Coughlin's move to switch races before Kasich officially enters is a good one in that it doesn't look like he is stepping on toes and doesn't force Kasich to acknowledge his deficiencies as a candidate relative to the former Congressman.
The decision to run for Secretary for State is a curious one. It has the potential to be a crowded field with State Sen. Husted, Sandy O'Brien and Rob Montgomery already expressing intention to faceoff in the Primary. But perhaps he thinks he has a better shot splitting the field rather than going one on one against powerhouse candidate Josh Mandel for Ohio Treasurer.
Best of luck to State Sen. Coughlin in his race. He's a quality candidate and a good conservative with a big future in Ohio.
I met Coughlin a couple weeks ago and he was talking governor. I did not get the sense that he was looking for any kind of deal from the party. Nor do I think the party can enforce any deals right now. The new chair is too new.
ReplyDeleteHe really wants to run against Strickland and said that if Kasich does not run it would a disaster to have Mike DeWine who would not turn out any vote for the ticket.
If it's true that he's looking at Secretary of State, I have to say I'd like that. The only other guy I've heard who wants to run is Jon Husted. He's smoking a big fatty if he thinks he can get elected as the chief elections officer of the state with his residency issue. And this a race the ORP MUST win in 2010 if it is to regain the apportionment board.
Coughlin will win that primary and be a better shot at winning in November. I still want to see him taking it to Ted Strickland on the campaign trail though.
Coughlin is a joke. He can't raise any money, and Husted will defeat him handily in a primary.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you're getting your information from Kyle Sisk. Honestly, who cares what he has to say.
ReplyDeleteWhat reason does Kevin Coughlin have to get out of the governor's race? There are ELEVEN months until the filing deadline. He's not well known right now, but neither is John Kasich.
And let me just tell you: people are fed up with the Ohio Republican establishment. They don't want to be told who to support in a primary by the Taft/DeWine crowd.
Coughlin is a solid conservative with a great message and is the kind of young energetic candidate the ORP needs to have out there running. I'm liking the stuff he's promoting at the Statehouse and I like his courage.
I'll just say it. Kasich is an ass. I am supporting Coughlin and I've never met him. But I can tell he's my kind of candidate.