RACE FOR OHIO GOVERNOR AND U.S. SENATE

According to the poll results published in yesterday's Columbus Dispatch, both Ted Strickland and Sherrod Brown are leading in the races for Ohio Governor and Mike DeWine's U.S. Senate seat from Ohio.

Is this what Ohio voters really want? I don't know much about Sherrod Brown (but I will be researching him), but I DO KNOW that Mike DeWine is doing a very good job for Ohioans. A much better job than his colleague, the ever disappointing George Voinovich.

As to Strickland, here are some FACTS about this candidate that he is not publicizing:

Is this the best the Ohio Democratic Party can come up with?

Here is a brief introduction to Ted Strickland. Remember, he is running as a "former Methodist minister, psychologist, congressman, and husband" (latest radio ad running on Christian radio). I have provided links for those of you who would like to check the source of this information. I encourage you to forward this to friends and others who would like to know about the Democrat candidate for governor.

Family

Strickland, age 65, married at the age of 46. He and his wife live in different states. He lives in Ohio and DC, she lives in Kentucky. The Stricklands have no children. http://pullinsreport.blogspot.com/2006/06/article-adds-fire-to-strickland-gay.html

Faith

Although Strickland is introduced in virtually every forum as a "former Methodist minister," he is not a member of any church, and attends church only occasionally. http://www.daytondailynews.com/project/content/project/faith-in-politics/

Strickland is running as a "moderate Methodist minister," I assume his campaign would list any church employment prominently. None is.

Career

Strickland worked at the Kentucky United Methodist Children's Home, apparently in the late 1960's. It is unclear how many years he worked there. Although many sources claim he was the "Director" of the home, his website has been changed to report that he was only "an administrator." http://www.tedstrickland.com/content/26/about-ted-strickland

While doing graduate work at the University of Kentucky in the early '80's, Strickland became a part-time prison psychologist at the Lucasville federal prison. He became a part-time assistant professor of psychology at Shawnee State in 1989. Apparently, he did held both positions part-time until he was elected to Congress in 1992. The infamous Lucasville prison riots were in 1993.

Strickland left "the ministry" no later than 1980. He was first elected to Congress in 1992. Despite this gap of at least 12 years, Strickland's current 2006 website claims he is simply "on leave from the ministry."

Politics

Overview: As a single man, Strickland ran for Congress in 1976, 1978, and 1980. He lost each election. Some have suggested it was "not helpful" to run for Congress in the 1970's as a single man in your late 30's. Strickland married at the age of 46. He was elected to Congress in 1992, but was a "Contract With America" casualty in 1994 after voting for huge tax increases and helping Hillary Clinton push her national health care plan. He was elected again in 1996, and has been in office ever since. http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060416/NEWS09/604160666

Work ethic: Strickland has missed more House votes than all but two (2) representatives. http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/109/house/vote-missers/

Effectiveness: Strickland is ranked the #402 "most effective" Congressman, and ranked the #430 "most influential" out of 438 listed representatives. http://www.congress.org/congressorg/power_rankings/overall.tt (Great website, by the way.)

Strickland's ranking is lower than a non-voting delegate from Samoa. In other words, the man who wants to be lead Ohio as Governor is one of the least effective members of Congress, even after 12 years in office.

Voting record: Strickland boasts a 95% ranking for 2005 from the liberal Americans for Democratic Action. Proving that 2005 was not a fluke, here are Strickland's scores for previous years. See if you can identify a trend in Strickland's voting record!

ADA ranking
2005 - 95% http://www.adaction.org/ADATodayVR2005.pdf
2004 - 95% http://www.adaction.org/ADATodayVR2004.pdf
2003 - 95% http://www.adaction.org/2003housevr.htm
2002 - 90% http://www.adaction.org/2002VotingRecord.pdf
2001 - 90% http://www.adaction.org/2001VotingRecord.pdf
2000 - 90% http://www.adaction.org/2000.pdf
1999 - 85% http://www.adaction.org/1999.pdf
1998 - 85% http://www.adaction.org/1998.pdf
1997 - 75% http://www.adaction.org/1997.pdf
1994 - 85% http://www.adaction.org/1994.pdf
1993 - 85% http://www.adaction.org/1993.pdf

Information compiled by:
Gary Lankford
Social Conservative Coordinator
Ohio Republican Party

Tell me again - why is this man a good candidate? I don't get it. And I don't think Ohio deserves to get HIM as governor!