A Weblog by The Plain Dealer Politics Staff
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Cheney targets Ohio
Wanna know how badly the Republicans want to take U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland's congressional district from the Democrats? They're bringing in Vice President Dick Cheney to stir the financial pot.
Cheney, whose fund-raising visits can command thousands of dollars a head, is slated to headline a March 20 fundraiser for state Rep. Chuck Blasdel, the Republicans' favored candidate to take the seat Democrat Strickland has left open to run for governor.
The fight for Strickland's open seat most recently made news when Blasdel's Democratic rival, state Sen. Charlie Wilson, flubbed his qualifying petitions, forcing him to run as a write-in. Fundraising figures out just before "Petitiongate" broke showed Wilson had raised $474,000 to Blasdel's $370,000, with five other candidates far behind.
Invitations out today say the Cheney event will take place at the historic Spread Eagle Tavern & Inn in Hanoverton, a one-time stagecoach stop for Abraham Lincoln and home to the local justice of the peace. Its web site says the building was no doubt the site of countless weddings.
No word, Mr. Vice President, on whether any of them were performed shotgun.
-- Julie Carr Smyth