Who Should Run For Governor in 2006?

[AngryOldDem]

This came up in the AOD household tonight. I thought it would be a good discussion topic.

In your opinions, who would make a good Democratic governor?

Who would you like to see run for the office?

Are there any unsung, "flying below the radar" city or county officials who could effectively lead this state out of the Taft era?

Conversely, who do you see the GOP fronting? Ken Blackwell?

[JackintheGreen]

1. Duh...

The GOP will run Alan Keyes.

[Nadeaufan17]

2. Coleman

I am pretty sure Columbus Mayor Mike Coleman will run. Eric Fingerhut will probably run either against Dewine or for Governor in 2006 IF (thats a big if, hes been gaining a lot of support) he doesn't beat out Voinovich.

[ClevelandSportsCurse]

3. Strickland, Coleman, Springer

Congressman Ted Strickland, Mayor of Columbus Michael Coleman, and Jerry Springer will probably run. I have heard that 6 Democrats are interested in the governorship, but I don't know the other three names.

As for the GOP, Betty Montgomery, Ken Blackwell, and Jim Petro will likely contend for the nomination. These three are basically playing musical chairs with the state's top elected positions.

Personally, my favorites are Strickland and Springer. They are very different candidates, but each has the necessary qualities to provide positive and effective leadership.

[NEOBuckeye]

4. Springer will still have to shake his Talk Show image, though.

I think he's quite intelligent, has great ideas and would make a great governor. But I think many people will get hung up over his trashy talk show. In reality, it's no worse than all of the rampant sexual smut in California Gov. Arnold's background, but the Christian right in this state is likely to make a big fuss over it.

Living in Akron, I don't know much about Mike Coleman. But Columbus seems to have prospered greatly under his leadership. That's quite a positive note to have on his resume, especially since Columbus is Ohio's largest city, and the State Capital to boot.

I like Eric Fingerhut and I hope he beats that worthless George Voinovich for Senator, but he'd make a great Governor as well. Mayor Don Plusquellic of Akron is also supposedly considering a run for the governorship. Any of our Dems would be preferable to that inept dumbass Bob Taft or the current Ohio GOP misleadership.

[Philostopher]

5. I think you're right about Ted Strickland.

He's been running for office for time eternal. Rumor has it the reason he didn't win until his third or fourth go at it was Cremeans, the Republican who'd held that district for a long time, would start a whispering campaign about Ted every time he ran against him.

You see, Ted married late and I don't know if he ever had any kids, so they'd just spread it around, under the table, that he was gay. I know that might not make a big difference some places, but I grew up in the district Strickland now represents.

I worked with Ted's nephew for a while about a decade ago, we were at the same company when Strickland won his first election in that district. His nephew was willing to bet me, since Cremeans was out of the race, Ted would win that year because there wasn't anybody to 'whisper at church about how Ted might be queer because he doesn't have kids,' in his words. I'm damned if he wasn't right, and Ted's held that office ever since.

He's tough, he's persistent, and for my tastes he's overly moderate -- but I'm pretty far left, so anybody who'd meet my full list of criteria probably wouldn't be able to win that rural district where even the Dems are conservative. I kind of hope he does run -- after what he went through to get where he is, nobody could possibly discourage him!

[ClevelandSportsCurse]

7. Isn't Strickland pro-life and and pro-gun?

I have read that Strickland has a strong pro-life voting record and an A rating from the NRA. Do these reflect his true feelings or does he vote that way to strip the Republicans of their wedge issues and then beat them on the economic issues? Given his constituency, I am sure that if he did vote for gun control and abortion rights, he would not last very long.

[Philostopher]

8. He represents his constituency well, if this is so.

I think the gun thing is probably accurate, and you may well be right about his reproductive rights voting. It probably is, to some extent, his supporting his constituency -- a very conservative, largely rural area with some rust belt people thrown in. My mother is pretty socially conservative, she loves Strickland. Whether he legitimately feels that way or it's just a way to guarantee re-election, I'm not sure. Even the Democrats in the counties down along the Ohio River are pretty conservative, he may well feel that way himself.

[newyawker99]

10. Hi sph812!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[ClevelandSportsCurse]

11. Thanks

:-)

[greenohio]

15. NOT Springer

I cannot and will not vote for Springer. Coleman is our best bet.

[Kolesar]

6. Long-serving Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic

I have been following his career for decades on Kent public radio. To his credit, he did get business going in Akron and prevented it from emptying out like Youngstown.

[Toucano]

13. I think Don could do really well.

He has to run for statewide office. Maybe not governor, but something.

I have a feeling that Ted could win. I hope DiDonato runs for Ted's seat in Congress if Ted leaves it. DiDonato could be great in that seat.

I love Mayor Coleman, too. It'll be a tough primary season if he decides to run.

[trag]

9. I like Ted Strickland. n/t

[doc03]

12. Ted Strickland is also great on veterans issues, pro-labor,

anti-NAFTA and he voted against the IWR. We got him in exchange for
Bob "Freedom Fries" Ney in redistricting.

[Eurobabe]

14. I will be new to OHIO but we need to get a DEM!!

I almost dropped my jaw at what you guys pay in real estate taxes and sales tax out there! It is DOUBLE what I pay here in ole Virginny.

Why do Buckeyes put up with this? Can someone give me some background on why the millages are so high? Crikey, we need a Dem like Mark Warner who can go into Columbus and trim the damn fat!

-Crozet4Clark

[Jeff in Cincinnati]

16. Corporate Tax Loopholes

It was revealed last year that many large corporations doing business in Ohio pay as little as $50 in corporate income taxes. You see, on the books, Ohio has high corporate income taxes (which the Republicans always argue makes the state less business-friendly). The problem is that they've built so many loopholes into the state tax laws that only a moron of an accountant would have his company paying anything remotely close to the rate in the statute.

Sorry -- that should be a "moran" of an accountant. I forgot the accepted DU spelling!