It’s their turn!

By Michael Edwards
Contributing Writer
Union County Post

Six-term Congressman Ted Strickland, a Democrat from the Appalachian region in southeast Ohio, maintained an impressive lead over Republican Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell in most polls in the months leading up to election night. Last Tuesday, Strickland became the first Democratic governor in Ohio since Richard Celeste was elected in 1986.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Ken Blackwell called Strickland by 9 p.m. and conceded the election.
“ Ted, you ran a good race and have won a tremendous opportunity to lead the people of this state to better days, a stronger economy and a higher quality of life. Congratulations and best wishes for a successful tenure as governor of the greatest state in America,” said Blackwell.
At his acceptance speech, with the rock and roll tune, “Won’t Back Down” blaring in the background, Strickland told the festive crowd that Ohio is on the threshold of greatness.
“ Ohioans have made their choice known and their choice was unity over division – their collective voice made it clear that Ohio needs a turnaround,” he said as the standing-room-only crowd erupted in applause.
As governor, Strickland is in the catbird seat for the 2008 presidential election considering no one has won the presidency without taking the state of Ohio. Accordingly, Strickland will be influential in campaigning for the Democratic nominee.
With the stakes so high, combined, the candidates raised a record-breaking $27 million.
A minister, psychologist and former prison social worker, Strickland ran a campaign focused on fixing a lagging economy and ending what Democrats termed a pay-to-play culture that led to indictments against a rare-coin dealing GOP fundraiser and an Ohio congressman, and the no contest pleas of Taft and four aides to ethics violations.
A maverick politician with an aggressive style, Blackwell tried to associate both Strickland to the state investment scandal and to current Governor Bob Taft’s lackluster record, while highlighting his own calls for investigating the scandal and turning back a Taft-backed sales tax increase.
In the weeks leading up to election day, Blackwell launched aggressive attacks against Strickland’s character and leadership ability – including an accusation that Strickland knowingly retained an aide who had been convicted of exposing himself to children.
Still, it was to no avail. Many voters still have a bad taste in their mouth from the 2004 election during which Blackwell simultaneously served as secretary of state and co-chairman in the Bush-Cheney campaign in Ohio.
“ I am glad I am not Blackwell tonight ... anyhow, he tried too hard to distance himself from the scandals of his party while ignoring what happened several years back (in 2004),” said Columbus resident William Kughell.
On policy issues, the candidates largely reflected the differences between their parties.
Blackwell favored tax cuts and business incentives; sought to privatize the Ohio Turnpike and spend the money on economic development; and wanted restrictions on what public schools could spend on services outside the classroom.
Strickland favored state investments in education, tuition guarantees and scholarship accounts for families, and affordable health care for all Ohioans paid for with help from tax dollars.
Strickland laid out his plan to expand access to early learning and early care for three- and four-year-olds, when research shows that spending $1 yields at least a $1.62 return on investment by creating more educated and skilled workers. He also discussed plans to strengthen teacher training by expanding access to national board certification, making tuition more affordable and predictable, and providing worker training incentives for companies that create jobs.
While Strickland emphasized universal access to high-quality public education, Blackwell called for expanding charter schools.
Strickland will take his oath of office in January 2007 for a four-year term.