News and Notes: Ohio Congressional Races

Items of interest:

OH-04 - Challenger Mike Carroll (D-Mansfield) recently informed Sandy Buchanan, Executive Director of Ohio Citizens Action that if elected he will co-sponsor the Clean Water Protection Act, an effective ban on mountaintop coal removal. Fighting montaintop coal removal is one of the three current environmental action campaigns by OAC, along with combatting pollution at Eramet Marietta and the Mittal Steel Cleveland Works.

OH-07 - The strong polling for Sharen Neuhardt (D-Yellow Springs) last week caused James Lambert at Swing State Project to upgrade this race from "Races to Watch" to the more competitive category "Likely Republican."

OH-11 - Openers confirms that following Clinton's concession speech on Saturday, national campaign co-chair Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-Cleveland) has officially endorsed Obama.

OH-14 - Unpaid staffer Ben Barasky posted a moving diary on DailyKos on Friday spelling out how challenger Bill O'Neill (D-South Russell) has "the moral certitude, the unique qualifications, and the will to fight" necessary to defeat Rep. Steve LaTourette (R-Bainbridge Twp) and give this district the kind of representative who wants only "wants to help" but is a "man who genuinely can."

OH-15 - In addition to visiting Cincinnati and campaigning in OH-01 on Saturday, House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-SC) went to Columbus and visited with Mary Jo Kilory (D-Columbus). Clyburn reportedly advised her to "be yourself, run on your message as much as you possibly can, respond to people’s dreams and aspirations and be prepared to ride the wave, because I think a wave is going to develop this time and it is a wave that I believe we can ride to the top."

OH-16 - At a rally for John McCain in Ashland last Thursday, State Sen. Kirk Schuring (R-North Canton) uttered an ugly and hyper-partisan insult against the residents of Canton, his home turf and the heart of his legislative district, remarking that if he had such a rally there he "might be shot at":

OH-18 Rep. Zack Space (D-Dover) announced today that the USDA has approved a $2.5 million loan guarantee that help ABC Manufacturing in Malta, Ohio, hire an additional 49 employees as well as protect 56 current jobs. Rep. Space had helped the company get state economic development funding to start up its new manufacturing facilities. “ABC Manufacturing, in its very short existence, has already proven itself to be a true Ohio success story,” Rep. Space said. “With this additional funding secured, ABC is now ready to continue its rapid expansion, creating good-paying jobs for the residents of Morgan County.”