Monday, August 11, 2008

Ms. Cafaro May Again Be Getting too Big for her Capris

PolitickerOhio reports today that State Sen. Capri Cafaro will be lobbying in Denver to position herself for a run at George Voinovich in 2010:

    At the Democratic National Convention in Denver, keep an eye on the ambitious and affluent Capri Cafaro, who is expected to use the gathering of party insiders, activists and fundraisers as an opportunity to advance her next political move: a race for U.S. Senate in two years against GOP incumbent George Voinovich. A Democratic insider who is close to Cafaro says that the freshman State Senator is giving strong consideration to a statewide bid.
A quibble with Politicker's story. They note that Cafaro is "the favorite to win a full four-year term representing the 32nd district in November." Well, yes. Generally a candidate is the favorite when she has no opponent.

If she runs in 2012, she will do so having not won a contested election and having lost after pouring crazy money into two contests. By accounts she is having a decent run in the State Senate, but until she actually wins an election -- with the requisite becoming likable on the stump -- talk of a Senate run is woefully premature.

6 comments:

derek said...

I like her ambition. It's good to see younger folks running for office.

Almost anyone's better than Voinovich so I can't complain too loudly, even if I disagreed with her running.

Scott Piepho said...

Certainly if no one else is willing to take on Voinovich (who frankly may not survive a primary challenge if Ohio's right wing remains this pissed off at him) Cafaro will make for an interesting run. But if someone who has actually won a contested election is in the mix, that's who the party should endorse.

Anonymous said...

I didn't want to be the first to say it, but only a fool bets it all on a rookie. There needs to be )and probably will be) a few big name challengers in the primary.

Scott Piepho said...

And the only thing more foolish is betting on a rookie who has been to the Majors before and blew up. Yet you would be amazed at how many otherwise sensible politicos bet on this rookie in Ohio 13.

So I didn't mind being the first to say it.

Village Green said...

Sure would like to see more women at all levels of government. But only those who have worked their way up and have proven to be hard workers and intelligent decision-makers with ethical standards. I haven't heard anything about Capri's work in the state legislature so far, but that doesn't mean she hasn't done good things. I'll remain agnostic on her future endeavors until I know more.

Jason Haas said...

Buried in this assertion that CC is lining up support for a Senate run is the assumption that the field is clear or she can clear it.

I'd answer no and no to both suggestions.

Listen, I appreciate her drive. I know she's damn smart. But it's a significant problem when her intelligence is subjugated to her ambition.

If this materializes, I'll have the same problem I did in 2006: before I get to the compare and contrast mode, first give me a compelling reason to ignore your lack of electoral success and brazen ambition?