Thanks to Vikingspirit

As the now-infamous ORP banner said, Ted=Tax. And now, Ted Strickland=Bob Taft. These donors are likely donating to Strickland because they agree with Ted Strickland's proposed policies. These same donors likely donated to Bob Taft because they agreed with his policies. Does anyone else see the connection here? Ted Strickland's policies will just result in four more years of Bob Taft-esque governance. And we all know how Ohio's economy has fared under Bob Taft. So, you can either vote for Ted Strickland's Bob Taft-esque plans, or vote for Ken Blackwell, who has a plan to revitalize Ohio's economy and reduce taxes. You make the call.

According to Project Logic they do not...

That's because he doesn't actually live anywhere in the district. Rather, he's chosen to temporarily enter to campaign from time-to-time as if he were testing out a Guest Legislator Program. Luckily, this is one job residents of the 6th district are willing to do. Not to put to fine a point on it, but Chuck Blasdel is willing to do it.

Some of his liberal blogger endorsements as well...

Swing State Project: "Charlie Wilson only needed fifty signatures. It's beyond pathetic not to be able to amass that many."

Buckeye State Blog: "Great. Just great. This is what your DCCC contributions are going to...electing a homophobic, misogynistic cultural conservative who wants to live in a 'Leave It To Beaver' or a 'Brady Bunch' world."

Vindy.com // Louie Free: "There seems to be no limit to the shame that the Democratic Party wishes to perpetrate upon itself... Charlie Wilson who, for whatever reason FAILED to obtain 50 valid signatures from the 6th District, wants US to write HIS name in to further humiliate this area."

MyDD: "Charlie Wilson in OH-06 remains the ultimate district f***-up, and [probably] will even until the ending of the world."

From Ken Blackwell's press release

Republican gubernatorial nominee Ken Blackwell today enthusiastically accepted Democrat Ted Strickland’s challenge to debate. Last week, Strickland called for debates after the Democrat sent a policy advisor and his wife to address Ohio’s university trustees. Blackwell shared his vision for higher education with the group personally.

Blackwell, attending another joint speaking engagement that Strickland declined, made the case for debates.

“Ted Strickland and I have very different approaches for addressing Ohio’s enormous challenges,” said Blackwell addressing the Ohio Hospital Association’s Health Policy Luncheon and Forum. “These approaches are too important to be reduced to 30 second TV ads. If Ted will join me in a series of debates this summer, Ohioans will receive a real opportunity to access and compare our preparedness and competency to lead this great state.”

“I am ready now,” added Blackwell. “Let’s begin.”

From Ted Strickland's press release

“I am pleased that Ken Blackwell has accepted my challenge to participate in public debates across Ohio. This is a great victory for everyone in Ohio who wants a real discussion about the issues. Ohioans deserve honest and open debates about the kitchen table concerns that matter most in their lives, especially jobs and education. My Turnaround Ohio plan offers a clear and workable strategy to create jobs and improve our schools in Ohio. It aims to keep and grow the jobs we have by investing in Ohio’s strengths and to bring the jobs of the future by reforming education from pre-school through college – because in the future, the jobs will go where the workforce is best educated. My plan offers a stark contrast to Mr. Blackwell’s failure to offer anything more than gimmicks to our state’s shared challenges.”

These debates are going to be amazing. Press, bloggers, political junkies are going to go nuts over these events. This is the first time in memory that both campaigns have accepted debates so quickly. Let's hope they are able to hammer out dates.

From Sixers

WASHINGTON - Sen. George Voinovich cast a key vote last week against repealing the estate tax, calling the proposal "incredibly irresponsible and intellectually dishonest" at a time when the nation is dealing with a massive federal budget deficit.

"I am thinking not only about the present but about our children and grandchildren and the legacy - or burden - we will leave them," said Voinovich, a Cleveland Republican who was one of just two Republicans in the Senate to against a procedural motion that would have allowed the bill to come up for a final vote.

The tally was three votes short of the 60 needed to proceed.

Republican Sens. Mike DeWine of Ohio and Mitch McConnell and Jim Bunning of Kentucky all voted in favor of repealing the estate tax, which is levied by the federal government on the estates of those who are worth more than $2 million when they die.

Thanks George!