OH-18: Space (D) Comes Out Strong Against Threatened Veto of S-CHIP

The folks at Open Left may be targeting Rep. Zack Space (D-Dover) with their misguided "Bushdog" campaign, based on his votes for funding Iraq without a withdrawal deadline and for amending FISA, but he can definitely count on my support. Space comes out strong on many critical progressive issues relating to the economy, health care, and energy policy, and this reaction to Bush's threatened veto of Congressional action to continue and expand the S-CHIP program (which provides Medicaid coverage to children in middle-to-lower income families that don't qualify for Medicaid directly) is a great example:

“Instead of doing the right thing by signing the legislation and protecting the coverage of millions of children, President Bush is compromising the health and safety of our children just as they are starting their lives. The President has essentially told them that they must start their lives on the wrong foot.

“I never thought I would see a day when a president would veto legislation because it gave health insurance to too many children. This action is truly a tragedy for America’s children.”

As Space notes in his press release, 145,000 Ohio children are covered under S-CHIP. Without Congressional reauthorization the program will expire on September 30th.

As far as the Open Left/Bushdog attack, I actually think that it will help Space in this district. It is critical to his re-election chances that Space convince voters he is not "too liberal" and he is unafraid to go against his party.