Latta v. NRCC: Roll Call hits on GOP angst in OH-5

According to this piece published today in Roll Call, the national GOP is freaking out about OH-5. Specifically, they are pissed about the piss poor campaign run by Republican State Rep. Bob Latta and his staff. From Roll Call (subscription service, so no link):

Although the candidates and party committees weren't releasing any polling late last week, both sides agreed the race could be fairly close - and many Republicans were flabbergasted.

"The [GOP] Members are running around saying, 'What just happened?'" said a Washington Republican with knowledge of the district. "To put it bluntly, they're pissed off. People are angry that Bob Latta hasn't devoted himself better on the campaign trial to connect with northwest Ohio voters and given an opportunity to an opponent who was so far off the radar and actually made it a race." (emphasis mine)

The Republican pointed out that Weirauch is far from her most public endorser, popular Gov. Ted Strickland (D), on the political spectrum when it comes to many issues that are important to the rural northwest Ohio district. Strickland, a moderate, has been hitting the campaign trail hard for Weirauch, also appearing in a television ad for her campaign.

"It's like the Latta campaign is trying to write a handbook on how to lose a Congressional campaign in 60 days or less," said the Republican. "When Bob Latta lost the first Congressional race back in 1988 to then-Ohio Senate President Paul Gillmor, he was a young kid with no electoral experience. He came close and people always expected he would be back. But if Bob Latta loses this race to Robin Weirauch, a candidate who Gillmor defeated twice with barely a sweat, it will be an enormous embarrassment to Latta personally."

You'd be pretty pissed too if you had spent $428,000 or 16% of your available cash on the race, as the NRCC has done. Team Latta, however, isn't happy about these DC condemnations:

Latta's campaign manager Matthew Parker defended the campaign and said the Republican source should "get out of Washington and come into the district and start knocking on doors."

"I'd like this reliable source to maybe get his facts straight," Parker said. "This is a tough campaign. We're working hard. No one ever thought it would be easy."

Parker said Democrats have put 10 times more money into this race in negative campaigning against Latta than they ever spent against Gillmor.

There is nothing better than the GOP taking potshots at each other the day before the election. A distracted GOP will contribute to a Weirauch victory.

Email phonebank4robin@gmail.com to do virtual phone banking or come down to campaign HQ at 116 S. Main St in Bowling Green to knock doors or make calls. Your help could make the difference

(H/T Swing State Project)