Tuesday night SCPD PAC played host to a number of Democratic hopefuls. We saw two of the three running for the Ohio Senate in the 27th District -- Kevin Griffith and Judy Hanna (Hanna, OK; Griffith needs work). Court of Appeals candidate John Quinn spoke. Subodh Chandra headlined and brought the house down, as usual.
Aside from Subodh, the breakout performance was from Betty Sutton, running in Ohio 13. She has the goods -- smooth speaking style, pleasant voice, tall thin and attractive, she exudes an effortless charisma. What really struck home, though, was her message.
Following an unspoken de facto format, she started with a sketch of her bio. As she recounted her early run in a Barberton City Council special election, she mentioned beating establishment Democratic candidates (Barberton is old-school blue collar D) by going door-to-door and meeting the people. She had a similar story about her run for the statehouse.
The highlight of her brief speech was her discussion of her time in the Statehouse. She has not only seen the backroom deals between the majority party and special corporate interests, she claims experience bum-rushing the back room. She illustrated the point with a story about a meeting between a committee chair and insurance industry lobbyists held literally in a back room and in which she literally walked sat down.
I'm all for a legislative agenda, but let's be realistic. We are at least two cycles and some favorable redistricting before we can even think about retaking Congress. When I hear grand schemes for spending money the State doesn't have on programs that Republicans will fight against with all their might, it feels like so much smoke up my butt. I need to know that my Representative knows how to fight, even in the minority. Betty Sutton not only promises to do that, she's done it before.
I'm interested in hearing more about Bill Grace, but for now, Sutton is the most intriguing candidate to me.
UPDATE/DISCLOSURE: A friend of mine is working for the Sutton campaign and Ms. Sutton is a former student of my wife. If you will recall, when an actual friend of mine gave a poor stump speech, I trashed him for it. I've let my friend in the Sutton camp know I'm going to call it like I see it. I went into the event hoping she would impress me (to provide a legitimate challenge to Cafaro, if nothing else) and, as it happens, was not disappointed.
RIP, JOHN OLESKY
5 months ago
3 comments:
I'm very excited about Betty Sutton's campaign as well. After I looked at the final print out of the gaggle of people who filed for the 13th, hers was the only name that had it all. Capri has too much baggage and can lose the general, unions hate Sawyer and the Sawyer name got beaten handily when Joyce Sawyer ran for Clerk, Bill Grace was entirely unimpressive and awkward when I met him working a room. The people on the rest of the list I have barely heard of. Sutton has the experience and the appeal for the general election. I wish her the best of luck.
Did Sutton indicate that she's going to have a website up sometime soon?
Betty Sutton is all rhetoric. She cant even answer specifically if she is pro choice or pro life. No impressive.
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