Backing Brunner

Analysis of the shocking Fisher campaign news

2010-02-03T16:01:00.002-05:00

Time at Plunderbund offers his view of the surprising decision by Lee Fisher's campaign manager, Geri Prado, to step down:

Either Lee is unhappy with his campaign, and fired Prado, or Prado is unhappy with Lee, and got the hell outta there. I suppose those two things aren’t mutually exclusive. Working for Lee Fisher is one of the most self-abusive gigs in all of politics. But no matter the reason, turmoil at this level in a US Senate campaign, 3 months out, before the candidate even files, is a sign of a campaign tanking.

BREAKING: Fisher Campaign Manager Steps Down

2010-02-02T22:09:00.002-05:00

Geri Prado, campaign manager for Lee Fisher's Senate campaign, is apparently no longer in that position. With three months to go until the primary, it is apparent that the Fisher campaign is worried. They have not been able to separate themselves from Jennifer Brunner, despite their fundraising advantage.

More details as they come out.

The Twitter Primary

2010-01-26T12:05:00.003-05:00

At the time of this post, Lee Fisher's Twitter page has 493 followers. Jennifer Brunner's Twitter page has 1,214 followers. That is very nearly three times as many followers for JB.

What does it mean? Well, probably not much. But it may say something about the enthusiasm for one candidate over another, or perhaps the advantage she has in online organizing. Or, it may be because Jennifer Brunner's "tweets" are interesting and sound like they were written by a human being, while Lee Fisher's are robotic and sound like they were written by a consultant.

Petitions: filed.

2010-01-20T12:48:00.002-05:00

It is now official. Lee Fisher will have a primary opponent. That opponent will be Jennifer Brunner, who filed her paperwork this morning. It is on!

While we were away

2010-01-19T12:14:00.002-05:00

New polling has confirmed what we have known all along: Jennifer Brunner would have a better chance of beating Rob Portman in the general election. A Rasmussen poll last week put Portman ahead of Brunner 43%-40% (within the margin of error). When matched up with Lee Fisher, Portman had a much larger 44%-37% lead.

This is further proof that the momentum is all on one side in this race. However, as Mark Naymik points out for The Plain Dealer, the numbers could move once the Fisher campaign takes to television. That is why we have reached a pivotal point in this campaign. If there were ever a time for you to consider volunteering or donating money to the campaign, now is that time. It will not be easy, but this race is very winnable.

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The campaign becomes official

2010-01-19T11:54:00.002-05:00

Sorry we have been away for a while. We needed to spend some time resting up for what is sure to be a very exciting year.

And here we go: reports say that Jennifer Brunner will file her petition to run for the U.S. Senate tomorrow morning. If she was going to drop out and concede to Lee Fisher, she would have done so already. This filing means that she is in it all the way. If Fisher wants to be the party's nominee, he is going to have to earn it.

Stay tuned, ladies and gentlemen. It should be fun.

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This is your last chance to contribute this year!

2009-12-31T12:31:00.002-05:00

I know it is not about money. I know we talk too much about money. But please remember that this is your last chance to donate to the campaign before the end of the quarter, and the end of the year. When those fourth quarter numbers come out, wouldn't it be nice to make the Fisher people sweat a little bit?

Remember, every dollar makes a difference. No matter how much you can afford to spare, please consider making a contribution. Visit www.jenniferbrunner.com or use the ActBlue link on the right of this page.

Have a safe and wonderful new year!

Attend a strategy meeting in your area

2009-12-28T12:54:00.002-05:00

We've said it before, and we'll say it again: Jennifer Brunner will win because her grassroots organization will be superior to all challengers. But that means she needs you to get involved. Donating money would be a great start, but it is going to take more than that. Elections are won on the ground. Sign up now to get more information about how you can get involved, and start making a real difference right away. This is about our future, and politics is not a spectator sport.

Brunner on Daily Kos

2009-12-22T15:33:00.005-05:00

She's up with another thoughtful, intelligence piece, this time taking a look at the Senate's healthcare bill.

Let me be clear at the outset: I’m glad the Senate got something done, but it could have done so much more for the American people.

Expecting to see an extensive piece from Lee Fisher explaining his thoughts on the legislation? Don't hold your breath.

Two very different emails

2009-12-22T11:51:00.006-05:00

Yersterday, I received a fundraising email from the Fisher campaign:

Our important end-of-year financial reporting deadline is quickly approaching, and I would very much appreciate your help now, so that I can continue the fight.

A few hours later, I received an email from the Brunner campaign:

During the holiday season… I’d like to ask you to give your time and money to your favorite charity, instead of giving it to my campaign.

Two very different emails, eh? Joseph over at Plunderbund was impressed:

While Fisher’s crew has been sitting on the sidelines waiting for Brunner to drop out, J-Bru’s team has really done a great job of changing the conversation, getting out in front of the issues and making Fisher look like a total slacker.
Brunner’s team is quickly proving they are more agile, clever, responsive and smart. Today’s fundraising emails from the two campaigns provide a great example.

Of course, you should still give money to Jennifer Brunner, even if she doesn't want you to. These emails only offer further proof that we need to elect her as our next U.S. Senator.

The Forthcoming Deadline

2009-12-21T15:52:00.002-05:00

Remember, folks, the end of the year will also mean the end of another fundraising quarter. Once again, Lee Fisher will outraise Jennifer Brunner, and the media will declare the race over. Of course, we know better. Nonetheless, it would be really nice to see the Brunner campaign put up some good numbers.

Please consider making a contribution today. I know it is the holidays, and money is tight, but this is about the future of our state, and our nation. An investment in the Brunner campaign is an investment in Ohio. Donate by using the ActBlue link at the right of this page (underneath Jennifer Brunner's photo) or by visiting jenniferbrunner.com.

Brunner in National Journal

2009-12-17T19:03:00.002-05:00

Read the full article here.

It is, of course, worth a read through. Here are some of the juicy details:

The Buckeye State, Brunner noted, is expected to lose 2 congressional districts after the '10 Census, and she said each party can expect to shed one. For that reason, Brunner said that when she met with Space, he "admitted his endorsement of Fisher had to do with the governor's potential role in determining which districts would be eliminated after the census."

Getting play like this in a national magazine is nothing but good for the Brunner campaign. It is further proof that she has not been written off, and people are paying attention. Her feisty attitude is also proof that she is not planning on leaving the race anytime soon, and she is willing to put her political career on the line for this.

More of the Interview

2009-12-16T10:31:00.003-05:00

Here is the second half of the Jennifer Brunner's interview at Plunderbund:

How Lee Fisher decides what he stands for

2009-12-15T10:18:00.003-05:00

"Time after time, Lee Fisher only takes a position after hearing what Brunner has said on the topic and he almost always takes essentially the same position." Read more good insight here.

We have seen it a lot in this campaign. Jennifer Brunner takes a position, and details it fully and articulately. Two or three days later, the Fish comes out with a short statement that states that his position is the same, without much explanation. The most recent examples are obviously the troop surge in Afghanistan and the Stupak Amendment. I think that it is almost a certainty that if Jennifer Brunner were not in the race, the Fish never would have bothered to let us know where he stood on these issues. That's not leadership.

Hope everyone had a great Monday!

2009-12-14T23:25:00.004-05:00

"I came away from this experience realizing how authentic she is."

2009-12-12T19:35:00.004-05:00

Following their interview with Jennifer Brunner on her Afghanistan policy, Eric is up with a post detailing his reactions over at our favorite blog to link to. The highlights:

I came away from this experience realizing how authentic she is. I don’t get an ounce of phony vibe that is prevalent among elected officials and candidates alike that I’ve met. I’m sure as a politician she can pour that stuff on, but none was to be found on Thursday. She has this weird combination of toughness and kindness...
Jennifer is the real deal. There’s a reason the old guard is scared shitless. There is a reason her grassroots support is so wide and bottom up. I hear stories of people raising their own money and printing their own promotional materials to support her. None of this stuff will show up on a financial report, but it shows up in the hearts and minds of voters.

The Afghanistan Interview

2009-12-12T15:29:00.004-05:00

On Friday, Jennifer Brunner did an interview with bloggers from Plunderbund, who had been critical of her position opposing the troop increase in Afghanistan.

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Brunner's Afghanistan interview at 11 am

2009-12-11T10:28:00.000-05:00

You can check it out here.

Lee Fisher's worthless endorsements

2009-12-10T13:33:00.004-05:00

Harry Reid! David Plouffe! Man oh man, the Fish seems well on his way being the Democratic nominee, doesn't he? Well, in the words of Lee Corso, "Not so fast my friends!" Plunderbund has a good post up on the subject:

I know I’m not the only Democrat who thinks that Harry Reid’s support has some downside (after all, currently polling shows Reid getting blown out of the water in his re-election campaign next year in Nevada.) The Fisher campaign's website conspicuously omits any reference to Senate Majority Leader Reid’s support.
This is the same campaign website that’s been updated to continue to shamelessly promote the endorsement of David Plouffe, even though Plouffe’s company is a paid political consultant to the Fisher campaign.
Have you also noticed that while the Old Media has been quick to point out Fisher’s money and endorsements, they never mention the fact that Fisher has been dropping in the polls while Brunner has been rising? Funny how the polling in the race started to get ignored the second it stopped favoring Fisher, isn’t it?

Brunner talks jobs

2009-12-09T17:23:00.002-05:00

This video, via Progress Ohio, is from WUPW in Toledo. While Lee Fisher is touting endorsements from his own consultants, Jennifer Brunner is talking about an issue that matters to you.

The "Oh Shit" Poll

2009-12-09T13:53:00.003-05:00

That would be one way to describe this one, that shows Governor Strickland trailing John Kasich 48%-39%. But on the bright side, maybe people won't realize that Lee Fisher is Lieutenant Governor, and his numbers will surely be better? Right?

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Plouffe fundraising for Fisher

2009-12-09T10:55:00.006-05:00

Well that is no good. In an email to Lee Fisher supporters, former Obama campaign manager David Plouffe writes:

As the end-of-year fundraising deadline approaches -- and with the holidays
almost upon us -- this week is an ideal time to help Lee Fisher make a strong
showing. We need Lee Fisher in the Senate to move Ohio forward on jobs, health
care, and energy -- and can't let Republicans bring back George Bush economics.

Just for that, I am not going to buy his book. It is clear that the establishment has chosen their candidate. But it is okay. The people will still get to decide this one. But I am guessing that the Fish is going to have another pretty strong showing in the financials at the upcoming deadline.

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Brunner will defend her Afghanistan position tomorrow

2009-12-07T12:47:00.003-05:00

Jennifer Brunner made news recently when she spoke out against sending more troops to Afghanistan. Folks on both sides of the aisle and supporters of all candidates have accused her of "flip-flopping" on the issue. Well, tomorrow morning, she is going straight into the beast to defend herself. She will be doing an interview over at Plunderbund at 10 am. I will share my own thoughts afterwards.

UPDATE (Tuesday, 10:17 am): So, I guess that's not actually happening.

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A different kind of campaign

2009-12-04T12:59:00.002-05:00

There seems to be basically two ways that a politician can go about running for a big office. They can take the safe road, and only take positions on simple, non-controversial issues. This is the road that Lee Fisher is on. His website lays out his positions in terms that almost every Democrat can agree on, and avoids the more hot button issues such as gay marriage, etc. He came out against the troop surge in Afghanistan and the Stupak amendment only after he realized that those had became mainstream Democratic causes. Running a campaign this way is an insult to the people who actually pay attention, but it is smart politics.

Another, less politically wise option for candidates is exemplified by Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, who wants to be President in 2012. Pawlenty, and many other Republicans, are overly eager to take a position on everything. When Obama bowed in Japan, they were out with a statement. When Obama wanted to have a beer with Gates and the Cambridge police officer, they were out with a statement. Every single debate that comes up in Congress, they put out a statement, as if what the Governor of Minnesota (or the former Governors of Arkansas and Massachusetts, etc.) thinks matters to the people of every other state. Doing this shows nothing but a desperation to stay relevant.

And then there is what Jennifer Brunner is doing. Rather than simply releasing statements, she puts forth thoughtful, well-informed, detailed proposals on matters of policy. And she does so not only on topics that are politically advantageous, but on ones that she believes in, from her opposition to the troop surge to her opposition to capital punishment. Perhaps Jennifer Brunner is the underdog because she is not nearly as shrewd of a politician as Lee Fisher. But that is exactly the reason that she will make a better United States Senator.

You can feel the momentum

2009-12-03T20:19:00.003-05:00

Jennifer Brunner is gaining more and more steam every day. As is often the case, the blogosphere was on the bandwagon first. See this post from Tim Russo at Plunderbund:

In the past week, two things happened which further proves that Jennifer Brunner will be our US Senate nominee in 2010. Lee Fisher pandered to the base on Afghanistan, proving to us all that he believes he has a primary, and the GOP yawned, attacking Brunner over Afghanistan instead.

Brunner: Recycle Bailout Money for Infrastructure Jobs

2009-12-03T10:50:00.003-05:00

How does this woman keep coming up with all of these ideas? In an email to supporters and blog post, Jennifer Brunner proposes using leftover bailout money to improve Ohio's terrible infrastructure, creating new jobs in the process:

Instead of borrowing more money and digging our deficit hole deeper to fund
nation-building activities in Iraq and Afghanistan, Congress should invest a
substantial portion of the unspent TARP funding on nation-building here at home.
And we can start by rebuilding our infrastructure, state-by-state. Here in Ohio,
investing in our aging highways, bridges, and water and sewer systems will make
our lives safer while creating jobs for tens of thousands of Ohioans who want to
work.

What good ideas have Fisher or Portman had lately?

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The Women's Forums

2009-12-03T01:02:00.001-05:00

Buckeye State Blog has a post up about the women's forums that Brunner is holding all across Ohio. Check it out.

Fisher tells us what he's against, instead of what he is for

2009-12-01T23:40:00.002-05:00

OhioDaily dissects Lee Fisher's statement that came out following the President's address earlier this evening, and they hit the nail on the head:

I applaud his stance. I think he's correct in his position. He makes it very clear what he's against. And he leaves little for the NRCC to throw back in his face.
What I don't know is what he's FOR. And that, my friends, makes me crazy. Again.
It shouldn't be this hard. We should be able to know exactly where our candidates are on these types of issues. Jennifer Brunner gave a significantly larger response and did it two days earlier when she called on the President to, among other things, adopt the policy positions set out by Les Gelb's National Security Network. Their proposal outlines several objectives beyond "we don't need more troops." In fact, it's probably the most progressive and best articulated vision I've read thus far.

What does Lee Fisher think we should do in Afghanistan? Nobody knows.

2009-12-01T11:50:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, Jennifer Brunner offered thoughtful insight about where she feels U.S. policy in Afghanistan should be headed. Rarely do you see candidates running for major office take such an unambiguous stance on a controversial issue. But when Jennifer Brunner believes in something, she stands up for it (see: gay marriage, death penalty).

Lee Fisher, on the other hand, seems to believe in only one thing: winning elections. That is why you don't see him taking a stand at all on what very well could be the most important foreign policy decision that President Obama ever makes. OhioDaily touched on this yesterday.

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Jennifer Brunner is for real

2009-11-30T23:18:00.003-05:00

How can you tell that the Brunner campaign has all of the momentum right now? The national Republican Party, which had previously ignored her while focusing their attacks on Lee Fisher, sent out a silly attack directed specifically at Brunner:

The national Republicans today assailed Democratic Senate candidate Jennifer Brunner for what they described as “her inflammatory and baseless attacks’’ against General Stanley McChrystal, the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

Sounds to me like they are terrified by the idea of having to run against her.

Brunner: Time to bring home the troops

2009-11-30T13:27:00.002-05:00

In a blog post up at Daily Kos and OhioDaily, Jennifer Brunner has called for an end to the war in Afghanistan.

Eight years and nearly a trillion dollars of our tax money–gone. More than 5,200
American lives–also gone. It’s time to say, "Enough." It’s time to employ more
than military and mercantile strategies in Afghanistan and set a timetable to
bring our troops home from Afghanistan.

Again, whether you agree with her position or not, her full piece is worth a read through. The thought that she puts in and details she puts forth are very impressive for a candidate running for office.

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The Issues

2009-11-27T11:55:00.002-05:00

Both the Fisher and Brunner campaign websites feature a section outlining their candidate's positions on the issues. You can view Fisher's here and Brunner's here. What jumps out as you first glance at these pages? The Brunner website includes a section for "Reproductive Freedom," "Civil Rights," and "Reforming the Financial System." It would seem as though a woman's right to choose, equality for all Americans, and fixing the broken financial system are not important to Lee Fisher, as he does not include his position on any of them on his website. He does, however, include his position on "Children." Apparently he supports them.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T10:08:00.003-05:00

Enjoy it.

Lawsuit Filed Against Brunner

2009-11-24T14:07:00.002-05:00

This really has nothing to do with the race for the Senate, but is of interest nonetheless. From the Beacon Journal:

Jack Morrison Jr. launched a pre-emptive strike Monday to keep his seat as chairman on the Summit County Board of Elections. Morrison, convicted on two counts of ethics violations, filed a writ of prohibition in the Ohio Supreme Court to stop Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner from removing him. In the court filing, Morrison maintains Brunner and a hearing examiner she appointed, Gregory Peterson, are prepared to oust him this week although they lack the authority to do so.

I am not a lawyer, and we'll see how this plays out in court. One thing that is clear, however: if you are corrupt, Jennifer Brunner does not want you to administer elections in the state of Ohio. Yet another refreshing change from the good ol' boy network and politics-as-usual.

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The Center of the Debate

2009-11-23T11:07:00.005-05:00

The Plain Dealer is reporting on how Ohio has become a leader in a new practice for executing death row inmates. Those subjected to the death penalty will now be killed by a single injection. The irony of finding more and more "humane" ways of killing people really bothers me. I understand that it is a controversial topic, but as far as I am concerned, governments should not have the right to take human life, even in the cases of our most serious criminals. The death penalty is pure vengeance, not justice. That is one of the reasons that I support Jennifer Brunner for the United States Senate.

Regardless of how you feel personally on the issue, you have to admire her courage for standing up for what she believes in. Contrast that with Lee Fisher, who was opposed to the death penalty when he represented Shaker Heights as a state legislator, but then supported it when he ran for Attorney General.

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Why is Lee Fisher not further ahead?

2009-11-20T11:10:00.004-05:00

It is a fair question, is it not? The media has all but crowned him as the Democratic nominee, because of his superior fundraising, yet the polls remain neck and neck. You could argue that he hasn't actually spent much of that money yet, which is true. But what exactly is he going to buy that will suddenly convince voters that he is a better choice? Most voters already know Lee Fisher and know him well, so the fact that they are not supporting him yet is a very bad sign for him.

On top of the money, there is the growing number of endorsements from elected officials across the state, and he keeps adding more. But as he as continued to add more endorsements and raise more money, Jennifer Brunner has steadily gained on him in the polls. It really doesn't seem to make much sense. But, that is the great thing about primaries these days. The establishment does not get to decide. The voters do. And that is a good thing, because we are a lot smarter than they are.

Specific Policy Proposals

2009-11-19T10:57:00.005-05:00

That is what Jennifer Brunner offers today in a piece posted at Huffington Post:

But what do they do after Veterans Day has come and gone? That's when the real
work begins. Rather than simply honor our veterans once a year, we need to take
the walk of all the great talk by helping to improve their lives on a daily
basis. Veterans Day should be more than a celebration of the heroism and
dedication of the brave women and men who have fought for our freedom; it should
also be a sharp reminder that we need to confront the ongoing struggles facing
veterans and their families.
Here are four simple measures that Congress
should move quickly so they are considered in the decisions about what we do
about ramping up or down the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, not just for the
returning vets, but for their loved ones who want them back in their lives in
all ways...

More Abortion Politics

2009-11-17T12:22:00.004-05:00

An article in the National Journal today by Amy Walter caught the eye of Jennifer Brunner. It mentions her and Martha Coakley as being the "first Senate candidates to say they'd vote against a Senate bill that included restrictions on abortion coverage." The article also calls into question the need for organizations focused solely on women's issues:

And many have wondered if EMILY's List, an organization dedicated solely to
electing pro-choice Democratic women, has outlived its usefulness. After all, in
an era that saw a woman come so close to being elected president, a women's-only
group can sound as outdated as the three-martini lunch.

It should be noted that EMILY's List has endorsed Martha Coakley, but has so far failed to support Jennifer Brunner, at a time when she is clearly one of the best female candidates running for office in the entire country. As others have pointed out, blogs alone cannot raise enough money to support her campaign. It is time for more national organizations to step up to the plate.

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The Brunner Bounce

2009-11-16T10:41:00.003-05:00

An email from the campaign to supporters:

This week, a new Quinnipiac poll released Thursday has people talking about a
"Brunner Bounce." Jennifer has gained five percentage points since September
16th and her primary opponent has dropped two points, pulling Jennifer into a
statistical tie in this race. Jennifer is clearly the candidate with the
momentum as the primary vote draws closer.

Momentum

2009-11-13T10:01:00.002-05:00

Jennifer Brunner has it. Trailing by nine points at the end of September, yesterday's Quinnipiac poll had her statistically tied with Lee Fisher. This is despite the press either ignoring her, or only writing about her to say that she should drop out. It is clear that Democrats in Ohio have serious reservations about Lieutenant Governor Fisher, and Brunner's tireless campaigning is beginning to pay off.

But she still needs your help. Please consider making a small donation today. As much as she has the momentum now, it can all be erased by another poor fundraising quarter. A good fundraising quarter, however, will change everything. With her soaring in the polls, raising a bunch of money would force the media to pay attention and give her the credit she deserves. Victory is more possible than ever, let's make it happen.

Brunner and Fisher are dead even

2009-11-12T10:20:00.007-05:00

A new Quinnipiac poll out today proves yet again that the race for the Democratic nomination is neck and neck, and Jennifer Brunner has all of the momentum. Democratic voters favor Lee Fisher by a statistically insignificant margin, 24%-22%. The poll also shows both candidates doing equally well against Rob Portman.

Democratic leaders continue to call upon Brunner to drop out of the race because she has not raised as much money as Fisher. But why should she when the race is still neck and neck? Obviously there are still many voters undecided, and Fisher will have an advantage in reaching out to them if he has more money to spend. But the point is this: right now, they are even, with Brunner actually gaining on Fisher, and this race is a long way from being over. The pundits would be wise to start treating this like a closely contested race, because that is what it is.

Update: From the Plain Dealer:

In fact, the new Quinnipiac poll shows Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner
gaining on Fisher. She gets 22 percent, he gets 24, in a fanciful matchup today.

More bad news for the Governor

2009-11-11T16:58:00.002-05:00

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: it ain't 2006 anymore. That big victory and those high approval ratings for Ted Strickland are long gone. The latest poll out today, via Buckeye State Blog, shows him in a dead heat with John Kasich, 40-40.

Hopefully, the Governor wins re-election. But he might not. And for better or worse, Lee Fisher's numbers are going to be tied to his. Please, Democrats, nominate a U.S. Senate candidate that comes from somewhere other than the sinking political ship that is Strickland-Fisher. Please?

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Happy Veteran's Day

2009-11-11T11:54:00.003-05:00

Thank you to all of you that have served.

Fisher chimes in

2009-11-10T19:34:00.003-05:00

It turns out that Lee Fisher is, in fact, pro-choice. He is just a little behind Jennifer Brunner in saying so, and not quite as passionate.

Brunner Blasts Stupak Amendment

2009-11-09T18:27:00.002-05:00

Need further proof that Jennifer Brunner is the only real Democrat running for the U.S. Senate from Ohio? Today she denounced the amendment in the healthcare bill that denies women the right to make their own choices. Lee Fisher has not issued any statement on the healthcare vote in the House.

The Brunner statement:

By voting . . . to block women from essential reproductive health care services, the anti-choice obstructionists in Congress have abandoned Ohio women and would legislate a woman’s constitutional right to choose ineffective at best.

Its about the grassroots

2009-11-09T12:33:00.002-05:00

In the campaign's latest blog post/email to supporters, they make it clear that they believe this primary will be won on the ground:

Modern day campaigns cost modern fortunes to run, because the "conventional wisdom" is that only by buying massive amounts of tv and radio advertising can politicians convert voters to their cause. Ok, maybe that's one way to get to job done ... but it isn't the only way...

I'm blessed with legions of volunteers who I know will work tirelessly - going door-to-door, working grocery store parking lots and library steps - to canvass for voters who share our commitment to a different kind of campaign, and a brighter future for Ohio.

Personally, I'm a big believer in the idea that a sound field operation is more important than any amount of money that you could ever raise. She is going to need the money eventually because it certainly helps, but it still can't replace good old grassroots activism.

The Blogosphere to the Rescue

2009-11-08T16:06:00.002-05:00

By enormous coincidence, the rest of the blogosphere has now also decided to take up the cause of ensuring that Jennifer Brunner has the money to compete. Glass City Jungle has started a fundraising campaign, and Buckeye State Blog now has an ActBlue link on their homepage.

As I said in my previous post, now is the time to put your money where your mouth is. So whether you donate through this blog, through one of the others, through the website, or whatever, let's work together to build a grassroots fundraising network that gives Jennifer Brunner the tools necessary to compete.

WomenCount endorses Jennifer Brunner, but she still needs your money

2009-11-06T11:10:00.005-05:00

As has been chronicled on this blog many times, Ohioans need Jennifer Brunner to be their next United States Senator. If they want a leader that is qualified, thoughtful, and progressive, she is the only choice. Her experience revolutionizing the way that elections are run in Ohio cannot be overstated. And the courage she has shown is advocating for progressive positions on issues like gay marriage makes her a refreshing break from the politics we usually see.

Furthermore, Democrats need Jennifer Brunner to be their nominee. If she is not, I firmly believe that they will lose out on the opportunity to pick up this seat. Governor Ted Strickland's sinking approval numbers will surely drag down Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher's chances if he wins the nomination. On top of that, voters need a candidate that they can get excited about. Fisher excites nobody, not even the Democratic base (see post below). Jennifer Brunner's charisma and specific accomplishments coupled with the fact that she is attempting to become Ohio's first female Senator is exciting. It gives them a reason to show up on election day.

Every poll shows Brunner neck and neck with Fisher for the nomination, and neck and neck with Rob Portman in the general election. However, she is being written off because of her lack of fundraising. WomenCount PAC endorsed her today, which should help her bring in some national money. But that is not nearly enough. The Brunner campaign needs you. The same people that were tired of the same old politics and were excited at the prospect of change one year ago and reached into their wallets to give whatever they could afford to Barack Obama need to do the same now. Jennifer Brunner can win this nomination, but she cannot do it without money. Investing in her campaign is investing in the future of Ohio. Please consider donating $5, or $25. Whatever you can spare. This is worth it. Building a grassroots fundraising organization across Ohio is the only way that we can ensure that this Senate seat belongs to Democrats next year. It is the only way that we will be represented by a Senator that actually shares our values. We should not have to settle for the lowest common denominator. We, the progressive-minded people of Ohio, want Jennifer Brunner as our next United States Senator, and it is time to put our money where our mouth is.

Voters not impressed with Lee Fisher's failure to create jobs

2009-11-05T12:50:00.005-05:00

Today, Buckeye State Blog chronicles the fact that the Luitenant Governor's failure to keep jobs in Ohio was costly to Democratic politicians throughout the state, especially Dayton Mayor Rhine McLin:

After citing Lee Fisher's record on jobs, the voters of Dayton threw Rhine McLin
out because they disagreed.

Lee can talk all he wants about all the jobs he "saved," but that's only going to work on the voters convinced that their job was saved by Lee. It's not going to work on the unemployed and those worried about becoming unemployed...

Frankly, between the two, I think Jennifer Brunner has the best shot in exciting and engaging African-American voters. There was no other voting demographic more outraged, targeted, and frustrated by the partisan voting games in 2004. And they are mindful of how Jennifer Brunner made elections so much better in time for 2008.

Another flawless election

2009-11-04T14:44:00.002-05:00

Thanks to Jennifer Brunner becoming Secretary of State, Ohio is no longer known for its widespread voting problems. Yesterday was yet another election that saw a large turnout, with no major problems being reported. Job well done.

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Upcoming Events

2009-11-04T12:51:00.001-05:00

For those of you in the Akron area, check out these JB events that will be happening tomorrow:

Akron Press Club
Major Policy Speech Unveiling "Clean Economy" Policy to Encourage Investment and Generate New Jobs in Renewable and Clean Energy
Martin University Center
105 Fir Hill, on The University of Akron campus
Luncheon at 11:45 am, Program follows
$10 for APC Members, $15 for non-members

Students for Brunner Event
The University of Akron Student Union
303 Carroll Street on The University of Akron campus
1:30 p.m.

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Election Day

2009-11-03T10:21:00.003-05:00

Quit reading this blog and go vote! Click here to find your polling place.

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Who funds Lee Fisher?

2009-11-02T12:28:00.002-05:00

On Friday, Ohio Daily was up with this post, questioning a certain campaign contribution to Lee Fisher. Worth a look.

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More Trouble for Strickland/Fisher

2009-10-30T10:43:00.004-04:00

A new poll out today from the University of Cincinnati has Governor Strickland's approval rating at 48%. He is going to have his hands very full winning re-election next November. The biggest mistake Democrats could make would be to nominate is Lieutenant Governor, Lee Fisher, to be their Senate candidate. He is not going to be any more popular statewide than Strickland, and he will lose. We need a candidate who is fresh yet accomplished. One who is new yet has won statewide before. One that is not part of Ted Strickland's broken political establishment. In short, we need Jennifer Brunner.

Strickland in trouble

2009-10-29T10:17:00.005-04:00

It seems like only yesterday that Ted Strickland walked into Ohio's governorship in a landslide victory. It was a great day for Democrats. Now, however, Strickland finds himself in a dead heat with John Kasich, the former Congressman. The latest Plain Dealer poll shows Strickland ahead only 48-47, a statistically insignificant lead.

Ted Strickland could very well be going down come election time. That is not what any Democrat wants to see, regardless of who you support in the race for the Senate. But I am warning you now, if Strickland goes down, there is a good chance that he will take Lee Fisher with him, should Fisher be our nominee for the Senate. And then we will all have to get used to the idea of Senator Rob Portman.

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Five Reasons Why Jennifer Brunner Will Be The Democratic Nominee

2009-10-27T20:26:00.003-04:00

1. She is the only real Democrat running.

Brunner's more progressive stances on the issues make her the candidate that is most in line with the progressive voters that participate in Democratic primaries.

2. She is a woman.

Ohio has never had a female Senator, and her campaign has a sense of history about it. And women make up a sizable portion of the electorate (half of it, in fact). It helped Hillary Clinton in the presidential primary, it will help Brunner in this one.

3. Governor Strickland is against her.

The Brunner campaign definitely needs to play off of the fact that she is the anti-establishment candidate. She is an outsider, and that is a good thing. And as Governor Strickland's approval ratings continue to drop, it becomes less and less likely that his Lieutenant Governor will win.

4. She is building a better field operation.

Primaries are all about getting your voters to the polls on election day.

5. She will be able to keep up with Lee Fisher in fundraising.

It hasn't happened yet, but eventually the Fisher donor base will be tapped out.

Being green is good for the economy

2009-10-26T13:04:00.005-04:00

Via the Columbus Dispatch's politics blog:

Ohio would gain up to 61,000 jobs by 2020 and see its economy grow by $3.7
billion if a stringent climate change bill becomes law, says the report released
by the Ohio Business Council for a Clean Economy.

Did you know?

2009-10-23T12:00:00.001-04:00

Twenty-seven states have never had a female Senator. What do you say we make a little history and get that list down to twenty-six next November?

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Brunner the blogger

2009-10-22T18:04:00.002-04:00

Today, the candidate posted a blog post on her website (and on DailyKos, several others). After reading it, how could you not support this woman? How could you not want to help her out by donating money to the campaign? She is the only real Democrat running in this race, and we need her to win. And no matter what anybody tries to say, she is sticking in this thing until the end.

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Endorsements

2009-10-22T12:58:00.007-04:00

Via Buckeye State Blog, here is a list of some of the elected officials that have recently endorsed Jennifer Brunner's campaign for the U.S. Senate:

•State Senator Teresa Fedor (D-Toledo)
•State Senator Eric Kearney (D-Cincinnati)
•State Reps. Mike Foley, Matt Patten, Lorraine Fende, and Kathleen Chandler
•Cuyahoga County Commissioner Tim Hagan
•Franklin County Commissioner Marilyn Brown
•Franklin County Municipal Court Clerk of Courts Laurie Tyack
•Columbus City Councilman Andrew Ginther
•Mayor Georgine Welo of South Euclid.

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Why should she quit?

2009-10-21T16:44:00.002-04:00

Anthony Fossceca at OhioDaily reminds us:

With more than six months to go, it's anyone's guess what twists and turns this primary race could still take. Unfortunately, in our desperate attempt to be first to the keyboard, political journalists, bloggers, pundits, and psychics are carelessly leaving out the obvious fact : this race is still pretty even.

His entire piece is worth reading.

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Lee Fisher: Where do you stand?

2009-10-21T12:41:00.004-04:00

Lee Fisher was firmly opposed to gay marriage when he ran for LG in 2006. Now, his position on the issue is much less clear, and he refuses to talk about it.

Lee Fisher was also firmly opposed to the death penalty. That was until his 1998 run for Governor, when his positioned changed.

Lee Fisher is an honorable man. But, he is also a typical establishment politician. As Democrats, we have learned that nominating a candidate that seems electable because of their moderate positions doesn't work if those are not their genuine beliefs (think: John Kerry). We need a nominee that is firm in her advocacy of bold, progressive change.

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Memo to the media: This campaign is about more than money

2009-10-20T15:11:00.002-04:00

It has become typical for the mainstream media to focus more on the horserace during campaigns than on actual issues. It is somewhat understandable, since campaigns start so far long in advance of election day, and they need to keep it interesting. However, that does not make it excusable.

There is more news today focusing on the expenditures and fundraising of the Brunner campaign. It seems that the media in Ohio and across the nation are only able to talk about this race for the Senate in terms of money. It is getting exhausting.

Let's state some facts:
1. Lee Fisher has raised more money than Jennifer Brunner.
2. Rob Portman has raised more money than anybody.
3. Jennifer Brunner parted ways with her old finance team.

I know these things because they have been reported over and over again. But come on people, it is October. Money raised now is not going to decide a primary in March or an election next November. Money is important, but it is not everything. Think back: Hillary Clinton outraised Barack Obama early on. Hillary Clinton's donors maxed out. Barack Obama's donors were nowhere near maxed out. What happened?

It is the classic story of the establishment's candidate trying scare everyone else out of the race with their war chest of money. But the establishment always ends up having a problem when the candidate that is actually "more impressive on the issues" or "more accomplished" doesn't get scared.

I don't blame Lee Fisher. He has no choice. He is up against a very impressive candidate, and is tied to a Governor that is becoming increasingly unpopular. But if he can't get Jennifer Brunner out of the race soon, he is going to be in trouble when the voters have their say.

Brunner at the City Club of Cleveland

2009-10-20T10:27:00.001-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, before this blog existed, Secretary Brunner spoke at the City Club of Cleveland. There are some highlights of her speech in the video below. If you haven't done so already, I suggest that you check it out.

Why do you support Jennifer Brunner?

2009-10-19T21:26:00.002-04:00

Now that there are probably some people that are actually reading this blog, thanks entirely to Secretary Brunner herself, I want to hear from you. Why do you support Jennifer Brunner as the next U.S. Senator from Ohio? Leave comments...

Jennifer Brunner: A champion of voters' rights

2009-10-19T12:20:00.003-04:00

Even amidst her campaing for the U.S. Senate, Secretary Brunner continues to push the legislature to ensure that as many people are able to vote as easily as possible. Hopefully the Republican-controlled Senate is as interested in voting rights as she is.

Need a good reason to support Jennifer Brunner in her campaign for the Senate? Think back to 2004, when under the direction of Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, Ohio was nationally disgraced in the aftermath of the presidential election. Complaints of fraud and irregularities were commonplace. Just four years later, under the leadership of Secretary Brunner, the presidential election in Ohio ran as smoothly as ever, with voters participating in record numbers. That's change I can believe in.

A shout out from the candidate

2009-10-19T11:39:00.006-04:00

Again on her Twitter, Secretary Brunner gives us some publicity.

Thanks to supporter Mike Mayer for starting blog backing my Senate
campaign; learned about it yesterday.

You are welcome, of course. I must say that I really enjoy a candidate that maintains their own Twitter account, rather than simply having a press specialist Tweet campaign updates. It goes a long way toward making the candidate seem like an actual human being. The risks of Tweeting are obvious, as any misspeaking could be very costly. But as long as you have a candidate that
you can trust knows what they are talking about, its worth it.

From Jennifer's Twitter

2009-10-18T02:17:00.003-04:00

An interesting collection of data comparing health care state by state, posted by the candidate herself via Twitter. Ohio ranked 27th in 2009.

Money has not yet scared Brunner out of the race

2009-10-16T15:08:00.006-04:00

There is no doubt that Lee Fisher's fundraising has been superior to Brunner's up to this point. That is to be somewhat expected, considering that he is the establishment candidate. But, as others have already pointed out, Fisher's fundraising has been declining each quarter. While he has more cash right now, you have to wonder whether or not his donor base will be able to sustain itself over a long campaign. The longer Jennifer Brunner stays in the race, the better her chances become.

Despite all of the money Fisher has at his disposal, he hasn't been able to pull away in the polls. If he can't scare Brunner out of the race soon with his big dollars, he is going to be in trouble as more and more Ohioans start paying attention to the race.

Dispatch Against Brunner

2009-10-16T12:11:00.003-04:00

The folks over at Buckeye State Blog say it much better than I ever could when it comes to today's story in the Columbus Dispatch:

Today's story from the Columbus Dispatch on the Democratic Senate primary shows that the media has its knives out for Jennifer Brunner. The only thing that's changed is that they're just more transparent about it now than they were from the beginning. Let's face it: the media has been trying to downplay Brunner's candidacy since the moment she announced. Not a story has been written about Brunner that did not, at some point, explicitly or implicitly suggest that there were rumors that she is not really going to be on the ballot. Combine that constant media narrative with the fact that Brunner is running against an Ohio Democratic institution, and it's not hard to figure out why campaign money is Brunner's biggest weakness.

Why I Support Jennifer

2009-10-16T11:16:00.005-04:00

In my opinion, her proud record as Secretary of State would be enough to support Jennifer Brunner's election to the United States Senate. All you have to do is put her record up against that of her opponent in the Democratic primary, Lee Fisher. Lieutenant Governor Fisher may have the backing of the party's establishment, but what has he done for people in Ohio during his time in the second most powerful office in the state? Ohio deserves new leadership.

But this is about more than simply credentials. This race needs to be about issues, and vision for the state and for the country. Jennifer Brunner is the only candidate that supports marriage equality for all, and has called for a moratorium to rethink the use of the death penalty in Ohio. That sounds like a real Democrat to me. The party establishment has chosen their candidate. Now it is time for us to choose ours.