News and Notes: Ohio Congressional Races

Duly noted:

OH-02 - National Journal's Pat Crowley says writes that "if there is any House race in the nation that is primed for a compelling rematch, it is in Ohio’s 2nd District." His profile of the race presents the arguments from both sides, noting on the side of Victoria Wulsin (D-Indian Hill) her increased campaign experience, fund-raising lead, favorable issues climate, and high Democratic turnout in the primary, and on the side of Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Loveland) noting her plan to blame Democrats for the high gas prices and the fact that she has recently avoided the embarrassing outbursts and errors that dogged her previously.

OH-03 - Jane Mitakides (D-Washington Twp) will speak at the Ohio Association of Justice convention tomorrow (5/8) at the Hilton Easton in Columbus, 4:30 p.m. in the Magnolia Room.

OH-04 - Mike Carroll (D-Mansfield) got some good coverage in the Findlay Courier of his speech to the Hancock County Democratic Party's spring dinner on Monday:

"Our current congressman says he is for working families, but time after time he's voted against working people's issues," Carroll said. Jordan has "voted against health care for children, against raising the minimum wage, against affordable housing, against the fair pay act, against college cost reduction, against improving Head Start. I mean the list goes on and on and on."

Ohio Supreme Court candidate Peter Sikora (D-Cleveland) also spoke at the event. *** Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Urbana) said on Friday that he's on board with McCain's horrible health care "plan" of taking away the credit employers get for providing health care benefits and letting families do the best they can in the marketplace with a $5,000 tax credit. Not enough up-front cash? Pre-existing condition? Tough luck.

OH-11 - Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-Cleveland) has introduced a bi-partisan resolution calling on the U.S. House to focus on activities related to the prevention, testing and treatment of sexually transmitted infections, and to encourage the federal, state, and local government to provide additional funding for screening and treatment services. This follows a recent report showing shockingly high rates of infection, particularly among young African American women.

OH-14 - The entire GOP contingent in the U.S. House of Representatives was invited to the White House this morning for a unity rally with Mr. 28%, and our own Rep. Steve LaTourette (R-Bainbridge Twp) described it as "a lovefest." In a 45-minute meeting characterized as "all sweetness and light," Bush rallied his troops on various measures in Congress, such as the stalled trade deal with Colombia that he wants and the Democratic housing relief bill that he says he will veto. If that's what LaTourette and his GOP colleagues want to do, fine by me ... but let's not let him get away with pretending to be an independent-minded moderate in November.

OH-16 - State Sen. John Boccieri (D-New Middletown) has called for the creation of a transportation district for the Mahoning Vallley that would "include rail, highway and aerospace assets in an effort to combine resources." *** Boccieri campaign blogger GARoach has declared today, May 7th, is "FUNdraising Day," and invites everybody to celebrate by donating $5.07 to his ActBlue page for Boccieri (and by letting campaign manager Ian Walton know that "the blogger made me do it").