Garrison carpet bombs with 35 endorsements, it's on!
So much for the theory that her colleagues in the General Assembly don't support Garrison. From Garrison's press release:
Assistant Majority Whip, Alan Sayre, in a statement to the Garrison campaign stated, "Garrison has the integrity and qualifications to lead the Secretary of State’s office. Her experience in state government will ensure fair and open elections and support job creation for our State”.
Furthermore, Rep. Tyrone Yates touted, “Majority Leader Jennifer Garrison is an intelligent and thoughtful leader in the Ohio House. I know that she will prove to be an outstanding Ohio Secretary of State fulfilling the duty of insuring that Ohio voter's rights are guaranteed and strengthened.”
Ohio House of Representative endorsements include: Speaker Tempore Matt Szollosi (Oregon), Assistant Majority Whip Alan Sayre (Dover), Rep. Lorraine Fende (Willowick), Rep. Ron Gerberry (Austintown), Rep. Denise Driehaus (Cincinnati), Rep. Connie Pillich (Montgomery), Rep. Clayton Luckie (Dayton), Rep. Matt Lundy (Elyria), Rep. Joe Koziura (Lorain), Rep. Todd Book (McDermott), Rep. Tyrone Yates (Cincinnati), Rep. Mark Okey (Carrollton), Rep. Debbie Newcomb (Conneaut), Rep. Dennis Murray (Sandusky), Rep. Kathleen Chandler (Kent), Rep. John Domenick (Smithfield), Rep. Debbie Phillips (Athens), Rep. Stephen Slesnick (Canton), Rep. Peter Ujvagi (Toledo), Rep. Brian Williams (Akron), Rep. Ray Pryor (Chillicothe),Rep. Sandra Harwood (Niles), Rep. Linda Bolon (Columbiana), Rep. Tom Letson (Warren), Rep. Stephen Dyer (Green), and Rep. Roland Winburn (Dayton)
Senate Minority Leader Capri Cafaro said in a statement to the campaign, “Representative Garrison is a tireless advocate for the people of Ohio. She will bring intellect and a spirit of service to the job of Secretary of State”.
Ohio Senate endorsements include: Capri Cafaro (Hubbard), Jason Wilson (Columbiana), Sue Morano (Lorain), Tom Sawyer (Akron), Eric Kearney (Cincinnati), and Fred Strahorn (Dayton).
At her announcement, Rep. Garrison was endorsed by three members of the Congressional delegation: Congressmen Zach Space (Dover), Charlie Wilson (St. Clairsville), and Steve Driehaus (Cincinnati).
I've been hearing all sorts of crazy rumors. None of which made sense and they all seemed to contradict one another. The latest version was that Garrison was running because ODP wanted to use the Secretary of State's open race as a justification for endorsing in the Fisher in the Senate primary. This rumor was that ODP would actually endorse Brown, though to make the process seem more fair. Well, that's clearly not the case. Either that or thirty members of the General Assembly, including several in the leadership didn't get the memo that Garrison was supposed to be a token opponent.
It's pretty clear, there's an insular club that wants to force Garrison down our throats and tell the GLBT community to like it or else. I'd be wary of giving a major Democratic constituency an ultimatum involving them staying home next November.
Either Redfern is so petty over Brunner that he's going out of his way to screw her every way imaginable, including undermining Brown's candidacy, or he's an incompetent leader who can't get his star players to work together as a team. Either way, Redfern looks either petty or ineffective. And if we lose the House and the Apportinment Board next year, every political "success" coming from 2006 and 2008 will definatively be proven that Redfern was nothing more than the guy in the right position at the right time to receive credit he didn't not really warrant.
It's pretty well known that Husted as Speaker vocifiously stopped an attempt from within his own party to deny homosexuals the right to adopt in Ohio. So, it's not like the GLBT community couldn't find reason to support Husted over Garrison.
Does the Secretary of State make social policy? No. But I wouldn't be surprised if the GLBT community said that they'd rather have a Republican who has a history of stopping the social cavemen rather than a Democratic candidate who gleefully found the first pitchfork she could find to attack them in order to win an election. Why should they not when every other group is required fealty to them in order to get their support. If Garrison was an anti-union Democrat, would you expect our union friends to support her? Why should the GLBT community and its supporters be any different?
Under no circumstances, will I vote for Jennifer Garrison. Period. I'm not saying I'm voting for Husted, but the constitution also gives me the right NOT to vote for an office. You can forget any Kumbuya after the primary nonsense, either. If Fisher manages to get the nomination, I will likelyt advocate for him just as strongly as I am for Brunner. I will not lift a finger for Garrison. If I go door-to-door, I will not drop any literature that calls on people to vote for her. Forget it. Because I don't trust an anti-gay demagogue who votes against equality time and time again who now runs saying she believes in treating every vote equally. If Garrison truly believed that, she would have treated every voter behind those votes equally, too. She doesn't. So, no, she's not qualified to be Secretary of State. Not by a longshot.
And when Jon Husted waltzes into the office, I will not accept that responsibility. It will be ODP's fault. It will be the fault of every one of these legislative "leaders" who are going with a candidate who they are endorsing for no other real reason other than they "know" her because it's not like her legislative achievements are anything to crow about. She is not better qualified than Brown. She is not a "thoughtful" leader. She is a political opportunist who would just as soon stab any of you in the back if it means she'll win an election.
Brown for Secretary of State. Donate now. Our party's fundamental beliefs are at stake.
We've done one poll, Ohio Daily is up to like three already. I've also asked for people to explain why they support who they do. Guess what? I did the exact same thing in the Senate race.
Now consider this, do you honestly think I don't know how the majority of the people here stand in this race? If I was trying to force Jennifer Garrison down your throat, why would I even consider giving all of her critics a thread to criticize her? If I had any personal stake in that thread, I was interested in hearing what people like about Brown.
You'll note that I haven't endorsed Garrison, I'm not even sure I'll vote for her. But I do know that I know her entire record a hell of a lot better than 90% of the people out there trashing her. Yes, she's dead wrong on gay marriage. It's one issue, and I actively encourage people to pressure her on it. But you know what, she brought a Democratic vote to the table on many issues from a district that by all rights should be Republican.
Now let's really blow your mind. How is Jennifer Garrison any different than Ted Strickland?
But you go ahead make whatever personal insults you need to avoid discussing the real issues.
Or else you wouldn't write something so obviously stupid as:
and think you said something insightful. If you cannot honestly tell the difference between Jennifer Garrison and Ted Strickland, than you're willfully blind.
Ted Strickland has never won an election running on bashing "teh gays."
One of Strickland's first acts as Governor was signing an executive order giving civil rights protections to gay, lesbian, and transgendered state employees. His a vocal supporter of legislation to add sexual orientation and gender identity to Ohio's civil rights statutes. Garrison is trying to delay any vote on that legislation until after the next election.
Strickland has appointed several members of the GLBT community to state offices and judgeships. The Cincinnati GLBT community, in a fundraiser, billed Strickland as the most friendly Governor to GLBT issues in Ohio's history. At that fundraiser, Strickland reportedly told the crowd that Garrison, referenced by name, specifically would not be on his ticket because of her hostility to GLBT issues.
Ted Strickland proved that you don't have to co-op social warriors in Southeastern Ohio to win. Garrison never learned that lesson.
Apples and oranges, David.
I have to say that Strickland's faults pale in comparison to Garrison.
It's one thing to be against gay marriage. It is a totally different one to campaign against gay people like Garrison has.
Would the Dems allow someone who was against interracial marriage to have such a prominent voice?? I don't think so. We are the party of unity and the party of those that have no where else to go. We believe in a better day for all. Whatever "a better day" may mean to them. We treat others with respect to whatever lifestyle they may choose. Garrison stands in opposition to this goal. And the least she could do is keep her mouth shut. Cause if you don't have anything nice to say then you shouldn't say anything.
I've still yet to see any proof that Garrison is holding up that bill, and I've talked to people who would know. In fact, this kinda crap rumor is the main reason I'm even trying to defend Garrison. But if you know something I don't, feel free to share.
As for the comparison to Strickland, I think it's fair. Sure Strickland made some appointments, but he's mostly played it safe as governor. As for "most friendly Governor to GLBT issues in Ohio's history", I dare you to look at the fierce competition he has and use that argument with a straight face.
On other issues people criticize Garrison for, there's not a whole lot of difference. Strickland was endorsed by the NRA and doesn't exactly have the strongest pro-choice record.
Um, way to gloss over the vast differences between these candidates. You completely ignored just about everything I said in the last comment.
Strickland has never been endorsed by Ohio Right to Life, Garrison has. NARAL has supported Strickland. The worst Strickland has done on the abortion issue is support a ban on "partial-birth abortion" and transporting minors across state lines so they could obtian abortions in state's that have less strict prohibitions for minor. Hardly anything that would make the Pro-Life crowd swoon.
Garrison, on the other hand, has said that she supports legislation that would make abortion illegal except to save the life of the mother (rape and incest victims need not apply.)
To suggest that Garrison and Strickland share the same views on abortion and GLBT issues is to ignore their actual records. It's just plain ignorant.
Strickland got an 80% rating by Planned Parenthood in 2006, 50% by NARAL in 2005, 100% by NARAL in 2004, 100% by NARAL in 2001, and 60% by NARAL in 2000. Strickland's ratings by NARAL were more often positive than there were ever negative. Regardless, he never got a 0% rating by NARAL like Garrison has.
I don't mind you wanted to make sure there some balance, but to outright misrepresent Garrison as being no different than Strickland is not about keeping the anti-Garrison folks "honest."
And to dismiss Strickland's achievement in advancing the civil rights of the GLBT community as "playing it safe" ignores the reality that if it were politically safe to do, then Jennifer Garrison wouldn't have ran a campaign against it. She'll vote against the sexual orientation civil rights law. Nobody expects her not to. Because if she doesn't then she a political fraud who changes political stripes to blend into the environment like a political chameleon.
The NARAL figure I saw was 30%. That's not exactly great. Besides, Garrison had a far tougher district to hold than Ted. I wonder what his positions would have been in the same shoes? Would he have stooped that low? Probably not, but I'd sure bet he'd have been singing a somewhat different tune.
This is a different race with whole new demographics, I thinks its fair to allow a candidate some adjustment. So once again, my points is get her on the record now and then hold her accountable.
I will stand with him on this one. No Garrison. Period. Also, I'm a bit peeved that so many would endorse such a homophobic ideologue. While I am annoyed at Strickland (although not as much as I once was), and I dislike certain aspects with Fisher at the end of the day I will gladly vote for them. But Garrison. For those that argue that the reapportionment board is at stake. We must prevent Jennifer Garrison from being on it.
Note: I am a college student with very little disposable $$, however I do plan to donate my TIME to help Brown as the campaign heats up.
Pray you get Eisile next semester for Property. He's a genius.
Most of them didn't teach there when I graduated... in 2005. Malloy was there, but I never had a class with her. Lockwood was my professor in con law. He is the living embodiment of the liberal, absent minded professor your could ever imagine.
Your head will explode, but then again, so did the minds of the liberal students too as his final was more about recalling certain sayings "Lockwoodisms" than anything. A good hand-me-down outline on Lockwood's class will have a list of these sayings.
"Foolish consistency is the hobgobblin of little minds."
I did very well in his class, though.
"Our party's fundamental beliefs are at stake."
Are those fundamental beliefs GLBT and abortion, and if so, when would you say they became our party's fundamental beliefs?
Unrelated question: Why do you believe that Brown has a better chance to win than Garrison? Seriously.