Republicans in Ohio have unique challenges facing them. Years of ruling Columbus have them firmly entrenched as "the establishment". That automatically means that whatever happens under their watch, is their responsibility. It's interesting how Democrats are seizing on this.

From the PD:

Ohio was once again in the political cross hairs last week, as the Iraq war spilled into the suburbs and a special congressional election in Republican territory suggested that voters in a solid patch of red may be feeling a bit blue.

And from the same article:

"If concern about the war continues, it may erode broader support for Bush and the Republican party," said John Green, director of the University of Akron's Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics.

Both parties are laying the groundwork for the 2006 elections. Some suggest that Democrats may aggressively pursue more races in Republican strongholds and add to a growing list of potential problems for Republicans.

plus...

Jim Ruvolo, a Democratic strategist who chaired Sen. John Kerry's
unsuccessful Ohio presidential campaign, said now no Republican member of Congress should run unopposed.

"People are getting tired of this war," he said. "More and more, people are saying: What's [Bush's] plan for getting us out? I think that's a problem for Republicans. The war, the loss of jobs and the scandals -that's the big three that's hurting Republicans and will continue in 2006."

Interesting. Working in the GOP's favor is a Democrat strategist who's focusing on the loss of jobs - in an economy that has 5% unemployment! But then again, the reason is the result of Republican leadership that has increased government spending, taxes, and burdens on business and has single handedly held off the economic recovery.

But here's one Democrat blogger's thoughts on his party:

Why is it that everytime some reporter needs to quote an Ohio Democrat, they call Jim Ruvolo?

Going backwards from the Kerry campaign, Ruvolo has either chaired,
consulted, or hung around to be quoted about, every single blockbuster
Democratic failure in Ohio since he left the chairmanship of the Ohio Democratic Party. He's never taken a shred of responsibility for any of it, just opined about it. Ad nauseum. You get the feeling that reporters are just too lazy to call the existing party chair because Ruvolo is so synonymous with "Ohio Democrats".

In 2006, we may be about to break that cycle. Isn't there another Democrat worth quoting? And can we send Ruvolo and his ilk to the shed, finally?

There's a lot more on this, but let me quote from another one of the "ilk" that Tim Russo thinks out to the "shed".

Some suggested that the result might have been different had the Iraq casualties occurred a week earlier, said Tim Burke, chairman of the Hamilton County Democratic Party.

Damn. If only those Marines could have died a little sooner...

Ohio Republicans should be able to bury this type of nonsense, but Taft, Bennett, Householder, and the "gang that couldn't shoot straight" just keep them in the game.

Sad.