News and Notes: Ohio Congressional Races

What's going on:

OH-10 - Defying party leaders, Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Cleveland) read 35 articles of impeachment against George Bush into the Congressional record last night. Here is the beginning of his statement on YouTube:

The first article concerns creating a secret propaganda campaign to manufacture a false cause for war against Iraq, which ties in neatly with the upcoming testimony by former Bush spokesman Scott McClellan. *** Predictable response from challenger Jim Trakas (R-Independence): "meaningless ... out of touch ... political game ... misplaced priorities," etc.

OH-12 - Yesterday challenger David Robinson (D-Columbus) issued a response to Clinton's endorsement of Obama, tying his election bid specifically to the Obama campaign:

"We have seen through this contest, which could easily have gone either way, that in America no matter your gender or your race, that with talent and hard-work there are no limits to what you may seek and achieve.

[My campaign] is fortunate to be a part of this historical moment, to be a part of this hunger for change ... I believe in the ability of Americans — through ingenuity, hard-work, finding of common cause, and with good leadership — to do the most extraordinary things and to solve our problems in the most unexpected of ways.

... [W]hat we face now is a contest for leadership, both at the presidential level and here in the 12th District. And as you know, John McCain is running for a third Bush term, but if that's not bad enough, my opponent is running for a fifth Tiberi term! And we're not going to let that happen..."

OH-13 - The Josh Miller HEARTS (Helping Everyone Access Responsive Treatment in Schools) Act, introduced by Rep. Betty Sutton (D-Copley Twp), passed in the House yesterday. The bill creates a grant program through the U.S. Department of Education to help schools acquire lifesaving AEDs and AED/CPR training. Modeled after a successful program in Ohio that has already saved 13 lives, it is named for a high school football player in Rep. Suttons's hometown of Barberton who died after suffering a cardiac arrest during a game in 2000. “AEDs are the single most effective treatment for those suffering a sudden cardiac arrest," said Rep. Sutton. "By ensuring that schools have access to these lifesaving devices, we can prevent needless deaths in communities across the country.” *** Yesterday the Veterans for America applauded Rep. Sutton for introducing H.R. 6205, the Stop-loss Compensation Act, which requires that service members whose tours of duty are involuntarily extended receive special pay.

OH-15 - The Politico profiled this race yesterday, characterizing the campaign of Mary Jo Kilroy (D-Columbus) against bank lobbyist State Sen. Steve Stivers (R-Upper Arlington) as "a populist fight against Big Business," noting that in 2006 Stivers "was one of only four state senators to oppose a bill making it easier for victims of predatory lending to sue" and linking Kilroy's campaign theme to broader economic conditions like $4-per-gallon gasoline and the foreclosure crisis. *** Joseph at Plunderbund pointed out on Sunday that Stivers' entry at the Wikpedia has been scrubbed clean of negative information since he got into this race, raising the suspicion that Stivers or someone allied with him has been doing the editing.

OH-16 - State Sen. Kirk Schuring (R-North Canton) dismissed his YouTube Moment (saying that residents of Canton might shoot Republicans if they held a rally there) as "meant as a joke" to the effect that Canton Democrats don't much like Republicans. City Council member Thomas West (D-Canton), who ran against Schuring in 2006, was not amused:

"The remarks by Senator Schuring were very offensive, if not demeaning. These aren't the type of jokes you make about our community especially at a time when there is violence in our community."

And Schuring's opponent in this congressional race, State Sen. John Boccieri (D-Alliance), pointedly pledged to rise above such partisan politics:

"Senator Schuring's partisan comments are the type of political ideology that is dividing our nation. At the end of the day the race for this seat, shouldn't be about Democrats, Republicans or Independents, red states or blue states, conservatives or liberals, but about America.

"As for my campaign, we will have rallies, town hall meetings, and events in every corner of this district, not only where it is politically comfortable, but in every region."