both TonyRo76 and LasVegasDave.
Posted on 02/11/2010 8:39:11 PM PST by wastedpotential
Republican challenger John Kasich continues to lead incumbent Democrat Governor Ted Strickland in the race for Ohio's statehouse, according to a poll released this week.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of likely voters in the state finds Kasich leading Strickland 47% to 41%. Faced with that match-up, five percent (5%) like some other candidate, and eight percent (8%) remain undecided.
Last month, Kasich posted a 47% to 40% lead over Strickland and in early December was ahead 48% to 39%.
The polling data also showed the race currently split along gender lines. Kasich holds a massive 23-point lead among men. Strickland owns a 10-point lead over the challenger among women.
Most importantly, however - both for Ohio as well as nationally - is the Republican's lead among independants. The survey indicates that voters unaffiliated with a party favor Kasich by 16 points, a very ominous sign for Democrats as the 2010 congressional elections pick up speed.
Strickland, who served 12 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, was elected governor in 2006 with 60% of the vote but has since had difficulty with the state’s worsening economic situation, including a 10.9% unemployment rate, higher even than the rate nationally.
Kasich spent 18 years in the House but chose not to seek reelection in 2000. He has worked since then as an investment banker and a periodic host on Fox TV.
Slow and steady wins the race.
I enjoyed your selection so much I just had to repeat it.
It is possible that maybe, just maybe, those in middle America that claim to have no ideology (ie, don’t have any passion about politics) are finally seeing Democrats as marxists and socialists - and rejecting that!
I think 2010 is going to be a very good year for Republicans in Ohio.
Those in middle America have an implicit ideology that they can often barely articulate, but they know when they are getting F*cked.
Interesting. I do not have much use for Kasich, but he has to be better than ANY ‘Rat.
Is Kasich still anti gun like he used to be?
Explain to me why you say you have no use for Kasich, please.
Those are my thoughts, too.
I haven't forgiven Kasich and Newt for throwing away Reagan's growth paradigm in favor of "balanced budgets". Predictably, Dems joined in that call, and have been using it ever since to cast themselves as the fiscally responsible party. Of course, that means TAX INCREASES.
Those budgets Kasich still brags about were phony, too. They counted Social Security revenues twice, and kept trillions off-budget.
Still, better than any Dem you can name.
I know I’ll get flamed for this but I don’t care. What state doesn’t have higher unemployment numbers? Maybe it was best for Blackwell to lose the Ohio Governors race because he would now be in Columbus with low poll numbers. Strickland is an awful public speaker and Blackwell would have probably made more drastic tax cuts, but Strickland hasn’t been that bad of a Governor. He signed the CCW bill. He cut income taxes (yes I know, they’re being retracted by his fellow Dems) He cut 2,800 pencil pusher jobs in Columbus and eliminated flex time for the rest, saying, “Be there when the phone rings.” He cut welfare and assisted living programs so drastically that nurses unions were running ads against him telling constituents to call and complain. To my knowledge the only budget he hasn’t cut has been road construction (which is a wise decision because the last thing we need are roads like Michigan has). To use a football analogy, Strickland wasn’t my choice as starting quarterback. But I’m not going to bench him at half time for a benchwarmer that doesn’t look anymore promising. The majority of Ohio Republicans are little if no better than Democrats (with a handful of exceptions), so I don’t understand the party loyalty. I went to Kasich’s web site and I don’t see a plan. It’s filled with “About Me” and Strickland sucks verbiage, but I want to see a well thought-out plan before I vote Kasich.
I, too, believe in balanced budgets....but, figured after the income and outgo are tallied. In short, that means I believe in low spending such that it never has a chance of exceeding income.
I’m a low spend/supply sider. I wouldn’t give you a piece of dirt for any budget-projection that I’ve ever seen.
Until this nation realizes the wisdom of low spend/supply side, it will not truly catch up and get ahead.
Necessities over luxuries. Pelosi’s caviar cruises are criminal and should be prosecuted.
I just think economic growth, which increases tax revenue, is the way to balance budgets. High tax rates don't work. By making balanced budgets primary and economic growth secondary (or lower) Kasich and company actually ruined the prospects for real, not phony, balanced budgets.
I occasionally fantasize about amending the constitution to limit government spending as a percent of GDP. In my fantasy, the Tea Party movement gets big enough to initiate constitutional conventions in the states.
I know.... but it's good to think big!
No. And he has done his mea culpas for his lame vote on the AWB back when he was in the House.
He wants to phase out the income tax. Look at Ted’ record in Congress vs. Kasich. Kasich was Budget committee chairman when Republicans balanced the budget and actually CUT real spending, not just the annual increase. He also left Congress in 2000 so he is unstained by the Bush spending legacy.
Strickland is not as bad as some Dems, but we need fiscal conservatism. Strickland is a Clinton Dem, he goes where the wind blows, but if sunny days come back - so will Ted’ spending.
I am so happy about John Kasich’s lead!
He just has to be your next Governor!!!!
working toward that end sis
Strickland’s record in Congress doesn’t mean much to me unless he’s running for Congress again. It’s his record as Governor that carries the most weight. And frankly, it hasn’t been that bad compared to other states and considering the economy as a whole.
Kasich needs to articulate EXACTLY what he’s going to do differently and why it will work. His web site is vague. “Make government more efficient and effective” HOW? Being a budget committee chairman (one of several) two decades ago isn’t enough to win my vote.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.