Dennis Kucinich for Senate ?

[JI7]

what do you all think of Kucinich running for Senate in Ohio ? when is there next Senate election ?

[JohnKleeb]

1. 2006

and its DeWine who is up, that should be tough since DeWine is popular but I think there is an open governor's seat that year too. He should definely run to get his ideas out there.

[JI7]

2. i think someone else mentioned the possibility of Governor also

but he seems the type that would probably like the Senate more.

it probably wouldn't hurt to start campaigning without making it official until later depending on how much support he thinks he can get. if he thinks he can get enough to win then he should run, if not then stay in the House. that way he can remain in public office.

and as you say just getting his ideas out will be good.

[JohnKleeb]

5. I dunno

I don't too much about the situation there in Ohio but I do think DeWine is popular so he'd be the harder to beat, just an observation Ive gotten through working in a district similiar to his and doing work on the mail that constiuents send and some of the self professed democrats like DeWine, and remember the man is not a far rightist, he has some moderate votes.

[JI7]

7. that is true

as you said in another post he might have a better chance against Blackwell if he runs for Governor. but i'm not sure if he would prefer that to Congress since the governor focuses mostly on domestic issues within ohio and Kucinich seems to enjoy things such as international issues also.

[JohnKleeb]

9. This is true

He does like to get involved on international issues.

[Corey_Baker08]

3. Kucinich For Governor

Here in Ohio we have an open Governors seat in 2006 and we know the Republican candidate is going to be Ken Blackwell, Kucinich would defiantly kick his ass.

[ProgressiveConn]

4. Stop being selfish!

You're supposed to favor him for Senate so we can all benefit from him. =)

[serryjw]

10. As much as I would like to benefit from DK

I think he would be a much better Governor than Senator. It is old Boys club, He would get nothing done. .....Remember Wellstone...I don't want the same fate?

[ProgressiveConn]

11. I remember Wellstone.

I only wish we had more Wellstones. Don't see it as an attack to think of him in the same light at all. See it as an honor. =)

[serryjw]

12. It would be an honor to have him in the Senate.......

as long as we can keep him alive. THEY would never let it happen.

[ProgressiveConn]

13. Well I'm not sure I'm ready to get my tinfoil hat just yet.

Though I don't dismiss it outright as a possibility... You never know when dealing with these folks.

[serryjw]

22. What's it going to take??

(tinfoil hat) ....I have an entire wardrobe of them.

[JohnKleeb]

6. Blackwell eh? I think he could win that

[zann725]

8. As he clearly already "knows"...somehow. Anyone see KB on "Hardball"

yesterday? He was gloating so much, I wanted to puke.

[Padme Amidala]

14. Just so long as he goes on to run for President in 2008.

He's still the best candidate the Democratic Party has.

[tritsofme]

15. Then we're in much more trouble than I feared...

nt

[Mairead]

16. He won't, because too few of us are willing to do the upfront work.

He's not a fool.

[JI7]

17. what exactly is the "upfront work" that needs to be done ?

[Mairead]

18. Creating a support machine. And making his background and politics known

to everyone--the job Media Inc would do in a real democracy.

[JI7]

19. why do you think people are unwilling to do that ?

i did that with the candidate i supported, and even with some i don't really support.

[Mairead]

21. Because I don't see anyone doing it or signing up to do it

Having a half-dozen -- or a thousand -- people trying to do it in an uncoordinated way locally doesn't work, as we discovered last time. It needs a coherent, nationwide effort, and there is no such effort unless the team doing it are in the planning stage and thus invisible. But I don't think there is any such team, because if there were that much energy around, it would be showing up here too, and it's not.

[ProgressiveDepot.com]

20. Highly Unlikely

Kucinich is my congressman and I have great great respect for him. I think he has the courage of his convictions when so many others do not. He fights for the little guy in our district for absolutely zero glory.

That said, he's already run for governor once and lost to George Voinovich. His political capital has increased since then tremendously, but Ohio has gotten redder, while Dennis has gotten bluer, or at least no less liberal.

The truth in Ohio over the last 10-15 years is that 95% of Cleveland-area Democrats get their butts kicked in statewide elections. Not that it couldn't happen, but Kucinich is the most liberal type of Democrat that does not play well statewide. He probably has more favorability outside the state than inside, although he's loved locally.

Clevelanders vote Dem but are no longer enough to carry the state (see the 2004 election for proof), and the early feeling is that we need to get more Dems from downstate to run statewide. They'll still get the Cleveland vote but have a better chance of getting a larger chunk of the rest of the state. Michael Coleman, who is mayor of Columbus, has already declared for governor & a lot of people think he makes the most sense. (And Jerry Springer's thinking of making a run as well, hooray for Ohio.)

Dennis did a great job of using his run for president to get his values out there, but in a statewide election we need someone who can win, and I don't think he's the guy, even though I'd obviously vote for him.

But I could be wrong.