From The Crystal Ball:
It's much too early to know for sure, but it's starting to look like Ohio will be Ground Zero for the second straight election. Having narrowly given the Presidency to George Bush in 2004, the Buckeye State could, might, possibly will be the site of a party turnaround in 2006--a shift to the Democrats with real implications for the 2008 presidential wars. The likely emerging Democratic ticket of Congressman Ted Strickland for Governor, and Congressman Tim Ryan for U.S. Senator will be a strong combo, especially in the wake of GOP Governor Bob Taft's unpopularity and a string of Republican state scandals.
Ohio Republican politics are very different from most states.
Grass roots Republicans are more effectively organized and trained there in practical politics than in any other state.
This is an Ohio tradition, which can be traced by to the 'good' Bob Taft's reelection effort in 1950.
Len Hall, the Ohio Republican chairman in the late fifties and early sixties added improvements to the model.
In Presidential elections from 1968 to the present, Republicans have generally devoted more resources to Ohio than the Democrats.
In 2004, Ohio was the premier example of the efficency of the Bush GOTV effort.
Against this backdrop, the people who call themselves Republicans who occuppy the offices of Govenor, and both US Senators have recently gone off into the left wing fever swamps, and are massively unpopular with rank and file Republican voters.
If any of them seek renomination, it may be a very rare instance of an incumbent getting defeated in a primary!
The Republicans do have a very good 'bench' .
