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Mar

20

Attn ODP: Step Away From the Pre-Primary Endorsement in Brunner, Fisher matchup


I didn’t seek the endorsement of my city’s mayor because I was running for an open seat (one out of four).  It was my opinion that in the case of the open seat, with three newcomers running (and another three incumbents who wanted to retain their seats), that the residents of Pepper Pike could and should figure things out for themselves and it was up to each of the candidates to earn the votes of those residents.

The Ohio Democratic Party should treat the U.S. Senate Democratic Primary between Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner and Ohio Lt. Governor Lee Fisher for the open seat of George Voinovich the same way: it is an open seat. Voters are not stupid, especially when it comes to these two candidates who both occupy state-wide elected office. The poll numbers continue to reflect a high percentage of undecideds and that high percentage of undecideds is properly pressing these two candidates to show why they deserve the vote of each and every voter.

I am urging the Ohio Democratic Party, as the entity that must rally us to help the eventual nominee win this incredibly important seat, to serve side by side with Sherrod Brown, to leave the candidates to do their jobs as candidates, and leave the voters to decide for themselves, without unnecessarily compromising the influence the ODP can have in the general election if it were to endorse in this primary.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 12:47 pm March 20th, 2010 in Campaigning, Elections, Jennifer Brunner, Ohio, Politics, Voting, lee fisher, senate 

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3 Responses to “Attn ODP: Step Away From the Pre-Primary Endorsement in Brunner, Fisher matchup”

  1. 1 My Letter to ODP Executive Committee Members : Writes Like She Talks on March 20th, 2010 6:06 pm

    [...] Attn ODP: Step Away From the Pre-Primary Endorsement in Brunner, Fisher matchup [...]

  2. 2 Adrienne Deckman on March 20th, 2010 10:03 pm

    Here is what I wrote to the ODP, for what it is worth:

    I am appalled at the suggestion that the ODP is now considering endorsing a candidate in the upcoming Democratic primary for U.S. Senate.

    Two of the core principles governing our party are inclusiveness and party unity: there is, at least in theory, a place for every Ohio Democrat in the ODP.

    Those principles have been well-served, in my view, by the current, spirited primary race for the nomination for U.S. Senate. In my 30 years in Ohio, I have rarely seen so much engagement by rank-and-file Democrats in a senatorial primary.

    Many of the people I have met during this primary contest tell me, in fact, that while they have been involved in the Presidential primary system, they have never been involved in a statewide primary race, and they have been energized and excited by this race.

    For the ODP to endorse at this point in the contest will be tantamount to telling those newly engaged activists that they were fools to think that the Ohio Democratic Party was anything other than a machine run by political insiders.

    And let’s be truthful about the other significant impact: by endorsing at this point, the ODP also runs a significant risk of alienating the 50% of the citizens who conclude by reason thereof that the ODP lacks simple respect for the now-unendorsed candidate whom they have been supporting as well as for the supporters themselves.

    Since one cannot identify any benefit to the ODP itself that would inure from such an endorsement and given the potential damage to the ODP from such a move at this time, there simply is no rational justification for such conduct, especially in light of the fact that the two candidates have just agreed to a public debate.

    In the face of these facts, for the ODP to go forward and endorse in the race will disserve those basic principles of inclusion and party unity.

    If the ODP wants to see a Democrat capture the open U.S. Senate seat in November, let’s start by demonstrating that we are worthy of it by honoring our principles during what remains of the primary season. Otherwise, it will be hard to tell the difference between us and the Republicans.

    And if it was ever important for us to clearly distinguish ourselves from the Republicans, this is both the time and the race.

    Thank you for your careful consideration of my views.

  3. 3 Jill Zimon on March 21st, 2010 11:49 am

    Adrienne – thanks for sharing that. I guess we’ll wait and see!

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