Brown Surges as DeWine Goes “Network”

AMHERST, OH -- In advance of the first in-state debate, Sherrod Brown's campaign for U.S. Senate continued to build robust momentum, raking in its best fundraising quarter to date, leading in the polls, and receiving key endorsements.  Incumbent Republican Senator Mike DeWine retreated to the defensive.  The Gongwer News Service described DeWine as sounding like the infamous "anchorman Howard Beale in Network" in a speech delivered in Columbus on Wednesday, where he declared "I'm not going to take it anymore," in reference to Brown's campaign [10/11/06].
 
"For more than a decade, Senator DeWine has sided with the special interests in Washington at a significant cost to middle class families in Ohio," said Ben LaBolt, a spokesman for Representative Brown (D-OH).  "Ohioans have had enough - the demand for a new direction is palpable.  As Senator DeWine becomes increasingly desperate, distorting the facts and breaking the rules, a groundswell of support is building to elect Sherrod Brown to the U.S. Senate."
 
Brown has led in 17 of the last 19 public polls.  On Thursday, he opened up his largest lead yet in the SurveyUSA poll - the third poll that has him above 50 percent - with a 14 point lead among likely voters.  Brown led among independents by 22 points.  Voters overwhelmingly believe that Ohio has been on the wrong track under the leadership of Senator DeWine, Governor Taft, and President Bush.  Recently, SurveyUSA found that DeWine had the third lowest approval rating of any U.S. Senator.

On Monday, the Brown campaign announced that it raised $2.9 million in the third quarter, a growth of $1.3 million over its successful second fundraising quarter.  A majority of those contributions came from individuals in Ohio.
 
Newspaper endorsements streamed in for Brown this week as well. Sun Newspapers, which includes 25 newspapers, endorsed Brown and described him as a "feisty and independent voice for his constituents." The endorsement also said that DeWine doesn't "represent the majority of residents today in a state where jobs are evaporating along with optimism for the future."  The Chagrin Valley Times said Brown "has represented the interests of working families above special interests in Congress since 1992," and that voters could send a message "that they've had enough back-room deals with multinational energy corporations, the pharmaceutical industry, off-shore tax evaders and job exporters" by voting for Brown.
 
Brown is running a spirited campaign in 88 counties that isn't neglecting any Ohioan.  Days before Senator DeWine campaigned with GOP Chairman Ken Mehlman in Columbus, Brown traveled to 9 colleges and universities across the state and was joined by thousands of students rallying for change.  Even in traditionally Republican Wood County, 500 turned out in support of Brown's campaign.
 
After hiring the ad firm that produced the Swift Boat ads, DeWine has come under fire at least twice for his misleading attack ads.  DeWine was forced to take down one spot after a reporter discovered that he doctored footage of the burning Twin Towers. This week, the Department of Defense (DoD) launched an investigation into whether DeWine violated military regulations by featuring a soldier in uniform in the ad - even though soldiers must not "engage in activities that associate the DoD with any partisan political campaign or election, candidate, cause or issue" according to  Defense Department spokesman Stewart Upton [Dayton Daily News 10/12/06].
 
Brown refused to take a back-seat on national security and has not let DeWine's false attacks go unanswered. According to the Columbus Dispatch, "If national security is an issue that favors Republicans and is best avoided by Democrats, someone forgot to tell Democratic Senate candidate Sherrod Brown . . .  the congressman from Avon has fought back, in part by going after DeWine's attendance record at open meetings of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Missing nearly half the meetings portrays a record of failed oversight of critical 9/11 and Iraq war-related intelligence gathering, Brown charges" [10/12/06].
 
"Mike DeWine's leadership stuck Ohioans with a higher cost-of-living, nearly 200,000 fewer manufacturing jobs, and worsening conditions in Iraq," said LaBolt.  "Ohioans are ready for a new direction."

10/13/2006 / Permalink / (all tags)