Mar 10, 2010
Husted, Yost, Mike DeWine Giving Cold Shoulder To Cleveland Tea Party?
COLUMBUS – As Republican candidates in competitive primaries make overtures to Tea Party groups across the state, Ohio Republican Party-endorsed candidates might be giving the cold shoulder to the Cleveland Tea Party, failing to RSVP to the group's candidate forum on April 7. According to the Cleveland Tea Party's website, State Sen. Jon Husted, Delaware County Prosecutor Dave Yost, and former U.S. Senator Mike DeWine have yet to confirm their attendance at the event. Meanwhile, Republican insurgent candidates, former Ashtabula County Auditor Sandra O'Brien and State Rep. Seth Morgan, have confirmed that they will attend.
Ohio Democratic Party Communications Director Seth Bringman asked, "If Jon Husted, Dave Yost, and Mike DeWine are making overtures to the Tea Party during their campaigns, why haven't they RSVP'd to the group's candidate forum? Is it that they are afraid of losing moderates, or that they are afraid of being out-Tea Partied by their opponents? If Husted and Yost expect to win their respective primaries, and if Mike DeWine expects to make amends with the conservative wing of the Party, then they all might want to show up."
The Republican Auditor primary between Yost and Morgan has already gotten nasty. Morgan has been receiving consistent Tea Party endorsements throughout the state. The Dispatch's Cathy Candisky had this to say about the Morgan-Yost race: "Bottom line: what had been perceived by many to be a David vs. Goliath match-up may end up being closer than expected."
Sandra O'Brien has gone on the attack against her Republican rival for Secretary of State, State Sen. Jon Husted, for his long history of supporting tax increases. She describes herself as a "Tea Party/9.12 Advocate" on her website and notes that Husted "voted to increase the state’s sales tax, voted to increase the state’s gasoline tax and has voted to create the new CAT (food) tax."
Attorney General candidate Mike DeWine has severe problems with Tea Party advocates, who were furious when Ohio Republican Party Chairman Kevin DeWine cleared the way for Mike DeWine, his second cousin, in the Attorney General primary. During a protest outside Ohio Republican Party headquarters, Tea Party activists voiced their disdain for Mike DeWine, shouting, "No more RINOs [Republicans In Name Only]! No more RINOs!"
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