It's the big question that makes everyone shrug their shoulders and say 'meh'.
Kasich's LG pick will serve one primary purpose - to not say anything stupid.
Anything beyond that is gravy.
I've heard several names through the grapevine, so let's take a look at the possibilities:
Janet Creighton
Creighton is the popular former Mayor of Canton. She's outspoken, but a solid conservative with years of dedication to the Party. Word is she's working hard to be Kasich's pick.
Sen. Karen Gillmor
Gillmor is the wife of the late Congressman Paul Gillmor and a veteran of the Ohio Senate. She rejoined the Senate last year after previously serving from '92-'97.
Sen. Mark Wagoner
Wagoner would be a very solid pick if Kasich wants to go with someone from within the Statehouse. He's young, articulate, and would serve as a good counterpunch to Strickland's likely pick, Matt Szollosi. But, he did vote for the Strickland Christmas tax hike, so that damages his chances.
Sen. Jimmy Stewart
The name alone makes him a good pick. But beyond that, his roots in Strickland's home turf in SE Ohio make him an attractive candidate. He's a mostly solid conservative, beyond his ties to labor, and voted against the tax hike.
But who will it be?
My best bet?
State Auditor Mary Taylor She's conservative. As Auditor she has the gravitas to discuss the all-important economy. She was the first to bring the upcoming $7-9 billion shortfall for the next Ohio budget to the forefront, which is convenient since the Governor refuses to acknowledge it. She's attractive. She's helps with the female vote. And back when I was organizing a bus tour for the doomed Ann Womer Benjamin congressional race in 2002 against Tim Ryan, she was incredibly nice in helping me out. (Thanks, Mary!) Obviously, a Mary Taylor pick would open up an opportunity for another Republican to step in and run for Auditor. That means the sooner Kasich makes the pick, the better it is for whoever steps in to run in Mary's place.
One rumor I've heard is that State Rep. Matt Dolan would consider running for the job. While his vote for the tax hike won't please many conservatives, from a purely political perspective it's a good move. The media, which has already fawned all over him for bucking leadership and voting for the hike, will continue their love affair through the election. He's popular in NE Ohio and his family owns the Indians (sorry, Reds fans). His family is wealthy so he could self-finance his race, which would be a help considering the late start. And ultimately, the Taylor to Dolan switch would help make up for Taylor's less than stellar fundraising during her term as Auditor.
So there we have it, folks. I've made my bet. Let's see how the cards fall.
Kasich/Taylor. I like the ring of it.
UPDATE: I've gotten a few e-mails, and a colorful comment, questioning the rationale of pulling Mary Taylor out of a virtually certain victory in the Auditor's race. It's certainly a fair point.
But there are three variables these folks aren't considering. 1) As I mentioned to start this post, the LG selection is one big yawner, but with that being said, pulling Taylor into the Governor's race increases her profile and makes her a solid advocate, with the background to back it up, to pick Strickland apart over the coming months on budget and economic issues - the primary issue of this campaign. 2) Taylor has done a very poor job raising money for her race. As a colleague said, "while she is a near shoo-in for Auditor, that doesn't mean much when you don't have much money to convince people of your inevitability." And 3) Whoever takes over the Auditor's race, either Dolan as I've suggested, or another high profile GOP candidate, they will be able to raise plenty of money to force David Pepper into a corner. Pepper is easily the Dems' worst recruit this cycle, and it won't take much to beat him. If he wants a chance at winning, the ODP will have to finance it, and that takes away from their ability to provide more cash to defeat Kasich.
Taylor for lt. Governor? And put the auditor's seat in jeopardy? Just in time for the 2010 redistricting?
ReplyDeleteAre you insane?
I'd rather see Taylor as the Gov. and Kasich as Lt. Gov.
ReplyDeleteActually, I'd rather see Taylor as the Gov., the Lt. Gov., and the Auditor. Any chance we can clone her in time to file petitions?
Does Kasich really want to be overshadowed by a Lt. Gov. candidate who's more popular than he is? What did it gain McCain when Palin generated more enthusiasm at the bottom of the ticket than he did at the top of the ticket?
Of the choices presented, take the former Canton mayor. If she says no, then take Wagoner. Never mind the $$$, Taylor will be the auditor.
A solid 2nd term as Auditor, and Taylor should be either able to fend off Cordray for gov in 2014, or, if Kasich wins this year, she could knock off Sherrod Brown for Senate in 2012 . . . oh, and whichever race she chooses after reelection to Auditor, I think the $$$ will materialize.
Keep dreaming, but go back to the drawing board.
I don't know who Pepper is but if he is worse than the Dems' Boyce running for Treasurer I would be shocked
ReplyDeleteIf Taylor gets tapped for LG, who runs for Auditor? Dolan is already committed to run for CEO of the new Cuyahoga County government. He moved there already to establish residency.
ReplyDeleteWatch for the 2010 version of the GOP shuffle: Mike DeWine moves over to run for Taylor's apportionment board seat, where his RINO credentials won't hurt him and his name ID against a non-incumbent guarantees election.
The last step of the dance will be when the ORP throws Yost under the bus like they did with Sandy O'Brien.
I hope there's not a Portman-Kasich cabal using party establishment ties to restrict the flow of cash to the Taylor campaign in an effort to box her into the Lt. Gov. slot. I think it's plausible that such a tactic may have been used to influence Taylor to retreat from potentially seeking the same Senate seat that Portman is running for. If the same such tactic is being employed now to twist Taylor's arm into filling the Lt. Gov. slot instead of seeking reelection as Auditor, then that would raise eyebrows and would lead the public to question whether Kasich is a misogynist. How many other explanations would their be for subordinating a qualified woman's political ambitions to that of men who are Beltway insiders?
ReplyDeleteThe sooner Kasich announces a Lt. Gov. running mate that ISN'T Taylor, the sooner people won't ascribe misogynist tendencies to Kasich. Announcing Taylor has joined the Kasich gubernatorial ticket would backfire, just as I've outlined above.
Go back to the drawing board, and, while your at it, don't present any obstacles to the Taylor for Auditor campaign.
How is putting a woman on the ticket as #2 "misogynist?" Are you the Dan Williamson who flacks for Mayor Mike Coleman? That's the only explanation I can think of for such a whack spin.
ReplyDeleteI cannot conceive moving Taylor out of a safe seat to become a do nothing LG. Husted has a pretty good chance on winning the SOS. Taylor's reelection to the Auditors office coupled with a Husted victory will give the GOP the edge on the apportionment board.
ReplyDeleteTo the cowardly anonymous commenter who accused me of whack spin: No I'm not that Dan Williamson.
ReplyDeleteBut it's not whack spin. Taylor is in the drivers seat in her bid for re-election to auditor. Taking her out of a drivers seat to put her on the back of Kasich bandwagon would be to Taylor's detriment. I don't see any effort to pull any man from a drivers seat to load on to the bak of a Kasich bandwagon, so, yes . . . misogynist.