Sharen Neuhardt Outraises Mike "Who? Turner in First Quarter
Submitted by Anastasia Pantsios on Sun, 05/13/2012 - 9:13pm.
Back in February, before she won her primary, I wrote about Democratic congressional candidate in the new 10th district, Sharen Neuhardt:
http://ohiodailyblog.com/content/sharen-neuhardt-running-congress-again
Sharen ran against Steve Austria in 2008 in his heavily Republican district and lost. But with the former 3rd district in the Dayton area, now the 10th, reconfigured, she feels she's got a shot against former Dayton mayor, Mike "Who?" Turner. The district reunites Montgomery County (Dayton), currently split between Turner and John Boehner, and includes Greene County (where Neuhardt lives), and northern Fayette County. Montgomery County comprises 75 % of the district's voters. And the district has shed is chunk of blood-red Warren County, which changes its complexion.
She told me in February,
The new Ohio 10 puts Montgomery County with Greene County and northern Fayette. I was born and raised and come into Montgomery County every day, which was the strongest fundraising area for me last time. My husband & I have owned a farm in Greene County for last 17 years. So this is the perfect district for me.
A few weeks ago, she shared some happy news with supporters:
In the first head-to-head test of the 2012 election cycle, Miami Valley attorney and 10th District Congressional Candidate Sharen Neuhardt outraised incumbent member of Congress Mike Turner by over $100,000. Neuhardt raised $224,903 while Turner brought in $111,583 during the quarter which ended March 31, 2012. ... Over 90% of the amount Neuhardt raised came from individuals. In contrast, only 44% of Turner’s contributions came from individuals, while 56% came from PACs.
She'll need every penny (and special interests and SuperPACs will undoubtedly jump in to make up the difference for Turner). Here's how close the new district is divided: in 2008, 50.0% of its voters voted for Barack Obama.
Turner has been inexplicably popular in the district, always winning in a cakewalk. Yet, despite being in office for nearly 18 years, most of the time when you mention his name to an Ohioan, they look blank and go "who?" (Hence the nickname). It's difficult to think of too many things he has done for the district, the people of Ohio, or the people of this country. It's really past time to replace this nonentity.
Turner wants more nuclear weapons
The one thing Representative Mike Turner is known for is pushing to build unneeded nuclear weapons. As the chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, he advocates building a new $5 billion plant in Los Alamos, New Mexico to produce more nuclear weapons. This unnecessary plant is now expected to cost more than 8 times as much as its original cost estimates in 2001.
"Defying reason (and regard for taxpayer dollars) yet again, HASC approved two amendments yesterday from Representative Mike Turner (R-OH) that disregard the advice and expertise of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) regarding a troubled multi-billion dollar nuclear facility."
"Rep. Turner's Never-Say-Die Effort to Squander Taxpayer Money on Nuclear Boondoggles," by Mia Steinle, Project on Government Oversight (POGO), May 10, 2012.
The US has more than enough nuclear weapons to destroy the planet. The Cold War is over and there is absolutely no reason for the US to build more nuclear weapons. But Turner, a major recipient of funding from weapons contractors (more than $70,000 so far this election cycle), is happy to spend more money on this boondoggle.
Background:
"The U.S. Still Has More Nukes Than Russia" by John Bennet, US News, April 20, 2012.
"Rep. Turner vs. the Budget Control Act: More Nukes is Good Nukes" by Kingston Reif, The Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, February 15, 2012.
Thanks for this info, Buckeyed
I hardly consider this a plus for Turner. He's WAY out of step if he thinks we need more nuclear weapons. He's living in the distant past — or in the pockets of the weapons manufacturers.