Goyal, other candidates kick off 2010 campaign

Local Democratic leaders, candidates and volunteers met Saturday to kick off the 2010 campaign at the grassroots level.

"I want to emphasize how important these elections are in 2010," Rep. Jay Goyal, D-Mansfield, said. "There is so much at stake."

Goyal, who also serves as House majority whip, said November's vote will determine not only who controls state government for the next two years, but also how upcoming reapportionment and redistricting will affect control of the state house and the Ohio congressional delegation for the next decade.

Goyal, along with David Pepper, candidate for state auditor, spoke Saturday in Mansfield as part of a statewide party effort, dubbed "Fight for Ohio's Future," to push for a Democratic ticket win in Ohio in November.

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Both Goyal and Pepper said a resurgence of the grassroots movement that boosted into office Gov. Ted Strickland in 2006 and President Barack Obama in 2008 was critical this year.

Pepper said Democrats at every level need to build on the party's successes or face returning to the "tough times" of previous -- i.e. Republican -- administrations.

"Today is the day that we need to reenergize and get active again and take all of the energy we had a couple of years ago and bring it back, because there really is that much at stake," he said.

Pepper started his political career in Cincinnati through grassroots campaigning, he said.

"There's no better way to win those votes than to go talk to people neighbor-to-neighbor about the issues, about the contrasts, about what we're fighting for and about what's at stake here," Pepper said.

Jim Boyd, who's challenging incumbent Ed Olson for Richland County Commissioner, echoed the sentiments.

"We are joining thousands of volunteers across Ohio who are taking part in more than 100 events today," he said. "This is an unprecedented kickoff to an unprecedented campaign."

Saturday's speakers were followed by a workshop to train volunteers looking to canvass for the party this campaign season.

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