By Fritz Wenzel,Collins Report
The Republican wave is moving into Ohio
The latest Wenzel Strategies polling shows the wave of GOP ascendancy that started last year and washed over Democratic strongholds in New Jersey and Massachusetts is now on display in Ohio.
Kasich’s healthy lead:In recent polling,I found that incumbent Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland trails Republican challenger John Kasich by 10 points,43% to 33%. In prospective U.S. Senate races between Republican Rob Portman,a former Bush cabinet member,and Democrats Lee Fisher and Jennifer Brunner finds Portman leads each by a handful.
A few short months ago,Democrats led in all of these races.
Polling here reveals a national trend,but instead of being a trailing indicator behind New Jersey,Virginia,and Massachusetts,Ohio has actually been leading the way. We saw softness in support for Ohio Democrats last summer. While voters in Massachusetts were telling pollsters the biggest issue – far and away – is national health care reform,the discontent in Ohio runs far deeper. In truth,it never left after Ohioans tossed Republicans from office in 2006.
Voters here are upset about the languishing economy. Despite political promises,Ohio’s economy has never really come back from the recession a decade ago.
So the question is can Ohio Democrats regain control of their own destiny before November? The honest answer is – probably not. So much of national – and Ohio – politics the last five years has been based on a campaign slogan that could best be described as:“Vote for Us – we’re not as bad as the other guys!” While that can get you elected in a negative political atmosphere,it seldom gets you re-elected – a lesson Ohio Democrats appear poised to learn the hard way.