Sunday, February 06, 2005

Coleman: No Courtesy Call to Ohio Democratic Party

There was an interesting comment in an editorial by Joe Hallett of the Columbus Dispatch. As with all Dispatch links, you need a subscription to read the full article.

I posted several quotes from Democrat Michael Coleman earlier in the month, quoting various Republicans, when he announced his intent to enter the 2006 Ohio gubernatorial race. Now we learn that there were other, more subtle steps, away from the Ohio Democratic party structure.

[Jimmy] Dimora [a Cuyahoga county commissioner and chairman of Ohio's largest Democratic county party] is one of the 40 politicians, party activists, union officials and business leaders Coleman called the day before his official announcement. In a telling gesture of no-confidence, Coleman excluded Dennis L. White, chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party.

"He’s going to have to win despite the state party," said Dimora.

Among Coleman's positions:
  • Abortion: Legal, safe, and rare.
  • Death Penalty: Supports it.
  • Gambling: Not for Columbus, no comments on Ohio at large.
  • Gay Rights: Opposes gay marriage but supports civil unions.
  • Gun Rights: Supported extending assault weapons ban and opposed Ohio's concealed-carry law.
  • Fiscal Discipline: Increased Columbus' budget by only 1.3% since 2001, while reducing city employees from 1,882 to 1,410.