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Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Ohio BMV picks Beautiful Ohio plate as standard issue
The new “Beautiful Ohio” license plate is so popular that the Bureau of Motor Vehicles decided to make it the standard issue design starting in June.
The bucolic scene on the new plate replaces the old “Sunburst” red-white-and-blue design that’s been available since March 2004. But fans of those plates will still be able to order those as replacement plates through June 6 and as new plates through November 30.
The “Beautiful Ohio” plates made their debut in November 2009 after sitting in a Columbus warehouse for a year. Since they became available, they’ve been outselling the Sunburst plates by a three-to-one margin, the BMV said.
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TweetRob Portman: people want a change to the status quo!
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Rob Portman blasted out a fund-raising e-mail message to supporters on Wednesday, March 31, that says, in part: “I am out on the campaign trail in western Ohio today, and I don’t have to tell you, people are ready for a change to the status quo!”
The wording might leave the recipient wondering if Ohioans like the current status quo or if they want to change to the status quo when Portman was part of it. Or maybe readers might conclude that Portman’s campaign staff needs to do a better job proof reading before hitting the send button.
“It was a typo. A typo,” Portman campaign spokeswoman Jessica Towhey.
Portman, a former Congressman, White House budget director and U.S. trade representative, will face off against the winner of the Democratic primary between Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner and Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher.
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TweetCOAST endorses Shannon Jones in GOP state Senate primary
COAST, the anti-tax, anti-government spending group, has endorsed incumbent Shannon Jones of Springboro in the Republican primary in the 7th Senate District, which includes Warren County and part of Hamilton County.
Former state Rep. Michelle Schneider, also a former Madeira mayor, is running for the GOP nomination against Jones. Jones was appointed to the seat last August to fill a vacancy caused by the death of former Sen. Robert Schuler.
“In endorsing Jones, COAST cited not just her promises on fiscal issues, but also her solid voting record in both the Ohio House and Senate against tax and spending increases,” a press release issued on Wednesday, March 31, said.
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TweetDems on top in Ohio in new poll
Democratic fortunes appear to be on the upswing among Ohio voters as a new poll finds Gov. Ted Strickland leading for re-election and both Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate ahead of their likely Republican opponent.
The Quinnipiac University poll, released on Wednesday, March 31, also found Democratic President Barack Obama’s approval in Ohio on the rebound after congressional approval of his health care overhaul plan.
In the governor’s race, Strickland leads Republican John Kasich, the former suburban Columbus U.S. House member, 43-38 percent, about the same as Strickland’s lead in a Feb. 23 poll. Strickland’s job approval rating - 49-40 percent - and favorability rating - 46-35 percent - are statistically the same as in the February poll.
Despite his edge against Kasich, Strickland fares poorly with voters when it comes to his handling of the economy. Just 35 percent approve of his handling of the economy, compared to 52 percent who disapprove.
In the Senate race, Democratic Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher leads Republican Rob Portman, a former Cincinnati-area U.S. House member, 41-37 percent, reversing a 40-37 percent lead for Portman last month.
Democratic Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner also leads Portman, but just barely, 38-37 percent, reversing a 40-35 percent Republican lead last month.
Obama’s approval rating is now an almost even as 47 percent approve and 48 percent disapprove, up from last month when 52 percent disapproved and 44 percent approved.
“Perhaps it’s the passage of the health care overhaul and the fact that people like being with a winner,” Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, said in a press release.
Whether it’s the beginning of a long-term trend, won’t be known for some time, “perhaps until November,” said Brown.
The poll also finds that most Ohioans still oppose Obama’s health care overhaul, but opposition is waning. In the new poll, voters disapprove the plan, 50-43 percent, compared to 55-36 percent in November.
Independent voters appear to be helping Obama. They disapproved his performance 57-38 percent in February, but in the new poll disapprove his performance 40-54 percent.
Not all the news is good for Democrats. The poll finds that voters say 38-25 percent that they are more likely to vote against their congressman if he or she supported Obama’s health care overhaul.
Also, voters narrowly say, 46-44 percent, that they don’t want the state’s next U.S. senator to generally Obama’s policies.
Obama still fares better than former Republican President George W. Bush. Voters say by a 45-32 percent margin that Obama is a better president. Even independents give Obama the edge, 35-31 percent.
The poll interviewed 1,526 registered voters from March 23 to Monday, March 29, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.
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