DeWine Challengers Back Down

Last Thursday John Hritz, who recently announced that he would challenge Sen. Mike DeWine in a primary, announced that he is ending his bid, citing DeWine's opposition to indian casinos as a major reason. The Hritz campaign never really got started and the announcement is really an acknowledgement that he could not realistically have defeated DeWine. Now former Rep. Bob McEwen is the only possible primary challenger for DeWine. Likewise Rep. Tim Ryan sent an e-mail to supporters on Friday saying that he too would pass up the opportunity to run for the seat. Paul Hackett, for whom losing is winning, is the last man standing for the Democrats, but even he has not yet announced his candidacy.

Hritz's announcement sadly means that DeWine will likely - but not definitely - go unchallenged in the primary. His strong fundraising was surely a factor in the decisions of Hritz, Ryan, and Rep. Sherrod Brown. Now Hackett appears to be the only remaining stumbling block.

This election will be decided on turnout, and Sen. DeWine's transgressions, including his recent participation in the Gang of 14 agreement, suggest that he will have problems here. Many have used Hackett's performance in the recent special election in OH-2 as a barometer to measure the mood of the state. The most troublesome sign from the race, though, it not Hackett's performance but Republican turnout. Adding to the problems created by DeWine's trangressions are a corrupt Republican Governor who refuses to resign and a fellow "Republican" Senator who nearly cried on the floor of the Senate. GOP voters in Ohio will be less than motivated and many will be sufficiently turned off not to vote.

Fortunately for DeWine, though, it appears that Paul Hackett will be his only challenger. On everything but gun control, Hackett is a left-wing reactionary who is far too liberal for Ohio. Unlike in the special election, he will not be the sole "beneficiary" of liberal activists, but he will be forced to carry the baggage of the extremists who backed him in the special election. So far out is Hackett that he could be DeWine's greatest asset in the race, as keeping Hackett out of the Senate may give conservative voters the inspiration they need to turn out and send DeWine back to Washington. Hackett must strike a delicate balance between running hard left to motivate the base while not motivating conervatives at the same time. Chances are the left won't let him get away with this.

Here's hoping for a primary challenger, but unless he fails to hold the Democrats to their end of the G-14 agreement, he should be reelected if renominated and facing Hackett. For now, mark this down as "Lean Republican", but this can change depending on how Hackett handles the balancing act.