Sen. Mike DeWine (R-Ohio) is considered one of the Senate’s most vulnerable Republican incumbents, but several high-profile Dems have nevertheless withdrawn from consideration. Rumors swirled that Reps. Sherrod Brown and Tim Ryan were eyeing the race, but both announced in August that they have no intention of taking on DeWine.
There is, however, one high-profile Dem in Ohio who could give DeWine a real run for his money.
Democratic leaders in Washington are aggressively courting Iraq war veteran Paul Hackett to challenge Sen. Mike DeWine (R-Ohio) next year.
Democratic National Committee leaders were expected to meet with Hackett yesterday in Washington. So, too, was Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.). Sen. Charles Schumer (N.Y.), chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), has called Hackett more than once in the past few weeks to sound him out about a run in 2006.
Members of Ohio’s congressional delegation also have urged Hackett to run or, at least, spoken with him about the race.
In a recent interview, Hackett said, “Senator Hackett, it’s got a nice ring to it.” I’m going to interpret that as a high degree of interest on his part. Also keep in mind, in his post-election speech in July, Hackett concluded that he would “start practicing for the next game.”
Oddly enough, a Hackett-DeWine race could turn on the gun issue.
DeWine was one of only two Republicans to vote against a bill in July to shield gun manufacturers from liability suits, which further alienated him from Ohio’s far right. DeWine, who also was part of the Gang of 14, has never enjoyed enthusiastic support from the nuttier wing of the GOP, but the gun liability vote prompted many conservative activists, including the state NRA, to announce they’d endorse the Dem if the party nominated someone conservative on guns — and Hackett is an NRA member.
Also helpful would be DeWine’s ties to Ohio Gov. Bob Taft (R), who recently pleaded no contest after being indicted for a series of ethical violations.
The entire scenario seems to have the state party as optimistic as they’ve been in a long time.
What makes Hackett so attractive, Democrats say, is his strong fundraising potential — Schulman said he garnered nearly $900,000 for the abbreviated special election — his colorful story and his willingness to speak his mind, like Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). […]
Rep. Ted Strickland (D-Ohio), now running for governor, called Hackett a “superb candidate” whose politics and persona comport with the zeitgeist. “In politics, timing is, if not everything, it’s nearly everything,” Strickland said.
If Barack Obama was the liberal blogosphere’s patron saint in 2004, I have a hunch I know who’ll fill the roll in 2006.