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Ellen Belcher is the Dayton Daily News opinion pages editor. She writes about state government, education, the environment, higher education and all things Dayton.
Martin Gottlieb is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He focuses on the political process itself and does such national issues as war, the economy, taxes and Social Security, as well as a hodge-podge of local and state issues.
Scott Elliott is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He writes about education, city and suburban issues, politics, business, workforce and consumer issues.Home > Blogs > A Matter of Opinion > Archives > 2010 > April > 07 > Entry
Editorial: Beagle clearly best Republican in state senate race
2010 ELECTION
Mainstream Republican versus Tea Party Republican.
That’s been a recurring theme in primaries this year. It’s the situation in the 5th Ohio Senate District.
The district includes most of Dayton and extends south and east through Harrison Twp. It also includes Miami County. But, preposterously enough, it doesn’t include the suburban swath between Dayton and Miami County.
The Republicans who drew the maps designating districts decided to secure for themselves the 6th Senate District (a seat now held by Jon Husted), which is based mainly in the south suburbs of Dayton. So they attached the northern suburbs — also good territory for Republicans — to the 6th.
That left the 5th — represented currently by Sen. Fred Strahorn — angling from Dayton northeast to Huber Heights. It then turns back west to pick up all of Miami and part of Darke County.
The 5th is good for Democrats. The map drawers had some hope of Republican success someday if the Democrats split, most likely along racial lines. Hasn’t happened.
This year two Republicans are vying in the May 4 primary to take on low-profile Sen. Strahorn: William Beagle, a former city council member in Tipp City, and William J. (Joe) LeMaster, a pastor in Arcanum, in Darke County.
Mr. Beagle is the clearly superior choice.
He was appointed to the city council when a vacancy occurred, a sign of some standing among those who know who’s active in local affairs. He had been on the library board and the planning board before that. Later he won election to city council.
He has also been president of Tipp-Monroe Community Services, a sort of parks board.
Mr. Beagle has had the useful experience of helping to guide Tipp City through the recession. When he joined the city council, the big issues primarily involved growth. But eventually the concern was shrinking revenue.
The council proposed tax increases twice, but voters said no. One result was that the price of a road project more than doubled, because of the intervening deterioration. That’s a good experience to have been through.
Mr. LeMaster, active in the Tea Party, has no experience in governance.
He says he “never met a tax I liked,” even at the local level. He calls Mike DeWine, George Voinovich and Bob Taft “RINOs” (Republicans in name only), that is, way too liberal.
Though soft-spoken, calm and well-meaning, Mr. LeMaster is in the grip of nonsense distributed by the worst kind of sources.
For example, he says the new health care law has a provision creating some sort of new para-military or pseudo-military force.
Asked where he learned that, he forwarded this newspaper an e-mail from somebody who early on states that in the 2008 campaign, Barack Obama “called for a police state.” Incredible nonsense.
Retired from the Navy, Mr. LeMaster circulates a page labeled “Orders We Will Not Obey,” from a group called Oath Keepers. It says, for example, “We will NOT obey orders to invade and subjugate any state that asserts its sovereignty and declares the national government to be in violation of the compact by which that state entered the union.”
And “We will NOT obey any order to blockade American cities, thus turning them into giant concentration camps.”
Such stuff grows out of the paranoia that is eagerly fomented these days. That paranoia is destructive to public and civic life.
Mr. Beagle — grounded on earth, experienced and articulate — is the right choice.
(Letters of support submitted by the two candidates are here.
Permalink | Comments (12) | Post your comment | Categories: 2010 endorsements, Editorials, Martin Gottlieb
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By JJ
April 7, 2010 6:42 PM | Link to this
Is Beagle really being endorsed for his position on the issues or because he contrasts well against LeMaster?
By Concerned
April 8, 2010 4:36 AM | Link to this
Well, we certainly know that if Obama said it during the campaign, it is no longer true today. Post the questionaire you sent them along with all of their answers. We want to see for ourselves how they responded rather than just receive your opinion of their answers. Regarding DeWine, Voinovich, and Taft, I find myself in agreement with Mr. LeMaster regarding their deficit of conservative values.
By Daytonian
April 8, 2010 6:45 AM | Link to this
I have only dealt with Bill Beagle on a business level, never at a political level. That being said, he is an honorable and likable man. Bill knows how to run a tight ship and he is caring as well. We would do well to be represented by him.
By joe_mamma
April 8, 2010 8:22 AM | Link to this
JJ, According to Martin’s comment here… http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/opinion/entries/2010/04/02/ellenbelcherusvettingcandi.html?cxtype=feedbot the editorial board uses “ideology” as one of there measures for choosing their endorsements. Essentially if you are conservative or libertarian running in a state or federal race they won’t choose you unless you are less conservative than your opponent. And NO!!! Obama is not proposing a paramilitary force. The healthcare reform law does have a provision that calls for “Ready Reserve Corp” of healthcare workers to be used during health emergencies. He did on July 2, 2007 propose expanding AmeriCorps by 230% to 250,000 to be used for providing healthcare, education, saving the planet etc…He said he wanted to add to the foreign service and double the size of the Peace Corp. The line everyone quotes is “We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we’ve set. We’ve got to have a civilian national security force that’s just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded.” Though obviously not calling for a paramilitary force it does show how Obama wants to implicitly control healthcare, education and consumption behavior through the expansion of government.
By JG
April 8, 2010 8:55 AM | Link to this
I would say Beagle is being endorsed because of his pertainent political experience verses LeMaster’s total lack of experience. As a firm believer in the American principle of separation of Church and State, I would never vote for a member of the clergy for political office.
By dog lover
April 8, 2010 8:59 AM | Link to this
Seeing the headline, I was hoping an actual beagle was running. That’s one Republican I would trust!
By scoobydo
April 8, 2010 11:08 AM | Link to this
best Republican, that really is a shame to Mr Beagle. When you put anyone sane up against this Tea Party, “never met a tax I liked,” health care law has a provision creating some sort of new para-military or pseudo-military force, Barack Obama “called for a police state.”, blockade American cities, thus turning them into giant concentration camps, anyone that resides in this universe would look like the best choice.
By davidss2
April 8, 2010 11:36 AM | Link to this
Simple minds are easily led and that’s what people of ideology like the editorials at DDN depend on. They present statements and ridicule them (Sol Alinsky); the sheep parrot the ridicule, right on target folks. Joe-Mamma showed where the statements by the DDN’s favorite obama were made. His goals, well, look at how much he has not followed through about so far. All those campaign promises… Tax. Tax. Tax. Because he spends, spends, spends, and we’re not supposed to question anything he said in the past because the DDN wants to favor the dog. And I certainly would trust a Beagle more than a democrat to do as they say. As soon as the Dems are in power, 2006, 2008, look at how they’ve spent pork. If we had a jobs bill last January, we would be a year and 1/4 ahead of recovery out of this recession. All pork, no jobs. Yet anytime they want to distract the sheep from what they just passed (Healthcare, to wit) they start talking about creating jobs and the sheep say “Yes Masta, Yes Masta Obama.” So I trust the Beagle and the Republicans to do as they say.
By beaglemania fan
April 8, 2010 6:38 PM | Link to this
Response to JJ and others. Absolutely Beagle is being endorsed based solely on his position on the issues. I have heard him speak on the issues that are important to us Ohioans. “Daytonian” got it right. Mr. Beagle is an honorable man who will serve with integrity.”JG” is correct Beagle is being endorsed because of his valuable political experience.
By joe_mamma
April 9, 2010 8:27 AM | Link to this
Beaglemania fan….don’t kid yourself. In the DDN editorial board’s eyes they viewed this endorsement as choosing between a turd sandwich and a turd sandwich with cheese. If you read Martin, Ellen, and Scott on a regular basis you’ll see they are not conservative. They did not choose Beagle because they agree with his politics or because of his experience, they chose him because they disagree LESS with his politics and wanted to take an opportunity to take a swipe at the Tea Party. I’ve been to Beagle’s website and he looks like a fine candidate. I’m just saying that a voter with a conservative bent should severely discount a DDN endorsement. Do your own research. You should not let your opponents choose your candidate and when they are duplicitously endorsing candidates we need to call them on it.
By Ice Bandit
April 13, 2010 12:07 AM | Link to this
Marvin Lewis wouldn’t let the Cleveland Browns head coach pick his starting quarterback, so why should Republicans give a rat’s rectum about any DDN endorsement of GOP candidates. The fact that Marty and Ellen are against LeMaster makes me like the guy. And LeMaster’s lack of experience is a plus. It is the career politicians that have gotten us in this mess. When it comes to GOP candidates, perhaps the Marty and Ellen should make like Archie Bunker’s wife Dingbat and just stifle….
By Online Casino
November 4, 2010 6:53 AM | Link to this
excellent points and the details are more precise than elsewhere, thanks. Mark