Are Liberals Pretty Much Writing Off Ohio This Year?

Ohio is one of the classic swing/battle ground states. For liberals to be writing off the Buckeye state in September...well that means things are really bad for them around the country. Really, really bad.

First consider PPP's Twitter note this morning.

Seems strange saying this but really doubt we'll poll Ohio again this cycle

That was striking enough but then there's this from Marc Ambinder at The Atlantic "A Democratic Bloodbath in Ohio?"

In Ohio, it's getting so bad for Democrats that the Democratic Governors Association, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee are actively weighing their level of commitment.

Public and private polling from the state suggests that Democrats will lose the governor's mansion, currently held by Ted Strickland, the Senate race (for an open seat that was held by a Republican), and at least four House races (OH 01, OH 15, OH 13, OH 16). Strickland's troubles have surprised some Democrats, since he's seemed to defy gravity for much of the year.

All 4 of those endangered House Democratic incumbents (Driehaus, Kilroy, Sutton, Boccieri) voted for the health care bill. That's clearly not the only factor in their troubles but it's not the lifeline Democratic leaders claimed it would be either (more like an anchor around their necks).

In the Senate race, the RCP average has Rob Portman up by 9. In the Governor's race it's former Congressman and FNC host John Kasich by almost 11.

These are devastating numbers in a swing state like Ohio. If the national committees do pull back or even out entirely, it's because they've essentially decided to build their firewall around, I don't know, Pelosi's district.

As always, this doesn't mean we can let up. It means we're just a step closer to seeing the Democrats vanquished and hearing the lamentations of their women.

posted by DrewM. at 06:23 PM

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