Turn Around Ohio Tour Diary

Turn Around Ohio Tour comes to Elyria, OH

What an incredible weekend in Ohio!  We have just returned from three fantastic days on the road to change in Ohio.  Sherrod was joined by Ohio's next Governor Ted Strickland, our tremendous statewide ticket, and outstanding candidates for Congress, the state Senate and state House, and local races in big cities and small towns across the state.

Friends, family, members of the media, and thousands of supporters showed up at event after event to witness the groundswell of support for Democratic candidates and a new direction in 2006.  The excitement was palpable.

Click here to see a slideshow of the tour. 

We learned many things this weekend: Barbara Sykes has more energy than any candidate in Ohio history. Lee Fisher can inspire a crowd to jog in place in 90-degree weather. Republicans around the state are joining Democrats and Independents in demanding more from Columbus and Washington.  Most importantly, we learned that Ohio is ready for a change, and people are inspired and excited about Sherrod's vision of a new direction for us all.

08/23/2006 / Permalink / Turn Around Ohio Tour, (all tags)

NPR’s Morning Edition on Ohio Senate Race

08/21/2006 / Permalink / Audio, Turn Around Ohio Tour, (all tags)

Fox News on Ohio Senate Race

08/21/2006 / Permalink / 2006, Turn Around Ohio Tour, Video, (all tags)

Dems hope ‘Ohio turns blue!’

From Lorain Morning Journal: 

Sherrod Brown made his prediction to the crowd of more than 150 in Elyria.

''Eighty days from now, every newspaper, from the New York Times to the Lorain Morning Journal, will have the same two headlines,'' he said. ''Democrats take the House and Senate, and ... ''

Ted Strickland then gripped him around the shoulder.

''Ohio turns blue!'' he said to thunderous applause.

The two Ohio Congressmen were joined by the entire state Democratic ticket at the rally, the last stop for the day on the party's ''Turn Around Ohio'' bus tour.

Brown, D-Avon, who's running for Senate against Republican incumbent Mike DeWine, said Democrats were in a position to take back the Senate.

Click here to read the full article. 

08/21/2006 / Permalink / Northeast Ohio, Turn Around Ohio Tour, (all tags)

Party lines blur as some in GOP look to their left

From Columbus Dispatch: 

Democrats invaded Ohio’s GOP stronghold yesterday, meeting with about 50 Republicans in a Warren County golf club after a day of bold talk about how support is flowing their way across party lines.

...It’s more than just the standard political argument this year. If Democrats can attract substantial GOP support, that bodes well not only for gubernatorial candidate Ted Strickland but also for U.S. Senate hopeful Sherrod Brown and Democrats down the statewide ticket. The party has not won a statewide nonjudicial race in 12 years.

Former Mason Mayor Betty Davis, who said she’s been a loyal Republican since speaking out for Richard Nixon as a sixthgrader, organized last night’s gathering of GOP dissidents. She said she sent out 75 invitations; about 50 people showed up at Shaker Run Golf Club to meet with Strickland, Brown and most of the rest of the Democratic statewide ticket on the general election campaign’s first bus tour.

"The last eight years in Ohio have been such a disaster," said Davis, mayor for 21 years until 2000. She said she and others have grown tired of the alienation and polarization espoused by many in their party, a refusal to connect with everyday people on important issues, and the stream of ethics violations in Columbus.

Click here to read the full article. 

08/20/2006 / Permalink / 2006, Turn Around Ohio Tour, (all tags)

State candidates notch up efforts during often-dull summer stretch

From Columbus Dispatch: 

August normally is a quiet time in state politics, with many Ohioans finishing summer vacations and candidates gearing up for the traditional Labor Day campaign kick-off.

Not this year.

Ohio Democrats are staging a statewide bus tour this weekend with gubernatorial candidate Ted Strickland and nearly the entire state Democratic ticket. The tour won’t shy away from GOP-dominated southwestern Ohio.

...Democrats are starting a three-day, 13-county bus trip Friday as part of a series of statewide tours this summer to promote Strickland’s "Turnaround Ohio" plan. Also joining the tour will be U.S. Rep. Sherrod Brown, who is challenging DeWine. Most of the other Democratic statewide candidates will appear at various points along the route.

Ohio Democratic Party spokesman Brian Rothenberg said the bus tour will enable the entire ticket "to build familiarity with our base vote and our activists," while giving the individual candidates "a chance to hone their messages and talk to local newspapers."

Click here to read the full article. 

08/16/2006 / Permalink / 2006, Turn Around Ohio Tour, (all tags)