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Home > Blogs > Ohio politics > Archives > 2008 > February > 26 > Entry
Redfern: “This is no longer a ‘red’ state”
Ohio Democratic Chairman Chris Redfern briefed reporters gathered in Cleveland for the Democratic presidential debate on the Democrats’ plan to win Ohio in this year’s presidential election.
“This is no longer a ‘red’ state,” Refern, a state representative from Catawba Island, said Tuesday, Feb. 26. “It never was.”
Redfern said Ohio is a “moderate” state. Democrats will run an 88-county operation and not focus solely on Democratic strongholds, he said.
John Hagner, targeting director for the Ohio Democratic Party, said the Democrats even will go after votes in exurban Republican strongholds such as Butler and Warren counties.
While the Democratic candidate for president won’t carry those counties, Democrats can pick up votes by targeting individuals on issues such as stem cell research and the economy, Hagner said.
Doug Kelly, executive director for the Ohio Democratic Party, said a goal is to “not let them (Republicans) off the canvas” after big GOP losses in 2006.
Kelly also said Democrats expect a turnout as large as 2 million in their March 4 presidential primary, far higher than the 1.28 million turnout in 2004.
“There’s very little precedent” for a primary like this year’s with Ohio playing a key role in determining the party’s nominee, said Kelly.
Kevin DeWine, deputy director of the Ohio Republican Party, disagreed with Redfern.
“We have consistently heard from the Democrats a mantra that includes more spending, higher taxes and more government control over people’ lives. Ohioans will reject those ideas, like they have in years past,” DeWine said in an e-mail
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