Sunday Spotlight: Chris Monzel

Starting this Sunday, I will occasionally write a "Sunday Spotlight" blog entry to shine the light on a great Republican. I'm happy to make our inaugural "Sunday Spotlight" shine on my friend Chris Monzel.

Is there any politician in elected office locally that "walks the walk" the way that Chris does? No way.

Chris Monzel has been on city council on two separate occasions with his most recent stint starting in 2005. Chris has been a consistent conservative voice lost in a sea of liberal tax-and-spenders at City Hall. Chris has also focused on constituent service and has done an outstanding job of serving the citizens of the city.

Recently, Chris was the first voice of reason on the ridiculous trash tax proposed by the Democrat appointed city manager. Chris's position ultimately prevailed as city voters spoke out loud and clear in agreement with Chris. The Mayor ultimately followed Chris's lead and threw out the ridiculous notion that the beleaguered taxpayers of the city of Cincinnati should be forced to pay an extra fee for the basic services of city government.

Chris is the proud father of three wonderful children and a great husband to wife Jana. He resides in Spring Grove Village. Chris is a graduate of Moeller High School, Purdue University, the University of Cincinnati, and the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.

A little known fact about Chris? He is actually a rocket scientist at GE.

Cincinnati is lucky to have a man of Chris's intellect and stature on the city council and as Republicans, we should be proud to have Chris serving us and staying committed to our core principles as a member of the city council.

To learn more about Chris, check out his website by clicking here.

Committee 2010

The Hamilton County Republican Party is currently forming Committee 2010. As I have previously blogged, this committee will look toward the future and work toward identifying good candidates who are not necessarily on the city council. The committee will be asked these questions:

1. What can we do to boost the notoriety and electability of township, city, and village candidates for higher office?

2. What specific strategies can we put in place to make these people viable candidates?

3. What specific candidates can we identify as a party right now to make them viable for 2010 and beyond?

4. What reasonable resources can the Hamilton County Republican Party provide to make this happen?

Today, I ask you to consider specific candidates that you have identified as great leaders in your township, city or village. Who are our future leaders?

This blog is regularly reviewed by members of the local media who cover politics. Comment with the names of those people that ought to be leading our party into the next decade!

Happy Thanksgiving

There they go again...

Democrat appointed city manager Milton Dohoney has proposed a new fee for trash collection in the city of Cincinnati. Typical.

When Democrats need money, they raise taxes. Instead of cutting non-essential services or liberal pet projects, they raise taxes. Outrageous.

Our very own Chris Monzel has stood against this tax saying, “it is ridiculous to charge residents for services their tax dollars are already supposed to be paying for. Time and time again the city seems to be able to find money for various pet projects and programs but when it comes to crunch time, they put the burden on our city residents and small businesses.. This nonsense has to stop. We have to start focusing on our core services and move away from partisan giveaways.”

Leslie Ghiz agrees.

Want to stand against this nonsense? Join COAST in a rally on Wednesday, November 26 at 1:00 p.m. at City Hall (steps on Plum St. side) and stand up to the liberals at city hall!

Blog Battle Rages, etc.

Our blog battle continues today as we try and help the Freestore Foodbank. Click here to read yesterday's post and to participate.

And...

Our three Republican Committees are coming along very nicely. I expect we'll have them working in a few weeks time to help move this party forward. Thank you to the many who have asked to participate. If you're interested, read about the committees here and then e-mail Margaret Nafziger at maggien@hc-gop.org.

And...

We expect to certify the results of the election this week. It should be an interesting week.

And...

President-elect Obama continues to name longtime Democratic operatives into important positions in his administration. One thing is clear: CHANGE is not part of what is happening. In fact, it is mostly a series of Clinton re-treads that are back into power in the federal government.

And...

Do you watch Meet the Press anymore? I do--but reluctantly. That show is simply not the same without Tim Russert. NBC needs to retool, re-brand, and relaunch that show with a different theme and a new host. Is Katie Couric available?

And...

One of my next initiatives as Chairman is to develop a youth outreach program. I have received several e-mails with ideas and I am mulling over the best way to proceed. We need to reach out to young voters in a way we have not done before. We will. Stay tuned.

And...

I was honored to be invited to the White House for one of their holiday parties on Wednesday, December 3. I have set up a few meetings with Republicans in D.C. to discuss the future of this great party and what we can do in southwest Ohio to be helpful to the national cause. On a personal note, it will be nice to see President Bush one last time before he leaves office. He is a fine, decent, and honorable man that will be remembered by history as a man of strength and courage.

And...

Cincinnati city council races are right around the corner. We'll be meeting soon to begin evaluating candidates and to field our slate for 2009. There are two incumbent council members dropping off of council this year and we have some strong candidates. Stay tuned.

And...

Have a great Sunday.

Battle of the Blogs -- For a Good Cause!

As Republicans, we just had a tough election season. We won some races and we lost some crucial other races. Well, now is the time to make a serious comeback in a way that helps needy families across the Cincinnati region.

WE HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED! Local bloggers have come together in the "Battle of the Blogs" food drive to help needy families. There is a contest of local bloggers to make donations to the Freestore Foodbank at their Virtual Food Drive. The Virtual Food Drive is a fun way to help because it allows you to actually purchase food into a cart, buy it, and donate it to the Freestore Foodbank to help those in need. The Freestore Foodsank will help feed over 35,000 people this holiday season (click on the Freestore Foodbank logo to learn more about that organization).

Here is what I am asking everyone to do:

1. Visit the Virtual Food Drive.

2. Make your selections of items for needy families.
3. Pay for them.

4. Shortly after you pay for them, you will receive a receipt in your e-mail box showing payment for your donation.

5. Post a comment proving that you made the donation and the amount you gave. If you don't like posting comments, simply e-mail maggien@hc-gop.org and tell her what you donated. We'll use the honor system.

A few years ago, John Stossell of 20/20 did an investigative report on charitable giving (click the link to read the story). He debunked the myth that liberals are more likely to help the needy by proving that, in fact, self-identified conservatives and conservative groups were much more likely to give charitably than liberals. LET'S PROVE HIM RIGHT by helping the FreeStore FoodBank and show these local bloggers what we are all about!

Thank you in advance for your participation in this worthwhile endeavor!

Democrats Seek to Silence the 28th House District

Does the Democratic Party want to silence the fine citizens of the 28th House District?

This morning, the Enquirer reports that "Ciafardini Takes Seat, Dems Grumble." In that article, local Democrats and Connie Pillich, the representative-elect, raise a completely illegitimate argument about Andrew Ciafardini's residency status. Ms. Pillich, a lawyer known to many of us, simply does not understand the law. Not much of a surprise.

The interim appointment of Andrew Ciafardini is completely within the bounds of the law as he is finishing the term of the previously elected Republican that held that seat. Rep. Ciafardini was doing the people's business in Washington, D.C. and he is, therefore, exempt from the residency requirements under law.

The citizens of the 28th House District deserve representation during this critical final few weeks of the year as the Ohio House of Representatives finishes its business. I'm pleased that Rep. Ciafardini has taken on this challenge.

(Check out our new poll question --->)

The Future

What does the future of the Republican Party look like? That is what we must all think about as we move forward as Republicans.

Unfortunately, we have seen some infighting. That is to be expected. It might be healthy to have a few debates about the future that are respectful and productive. But, we can not let these natural divisions do to us what the centrist/left fights did to the Democrats for years. We need to recognize our problems and solve them within the family. I am confident that we will do that as Republicans.

Since November 4, I have been doing what I said: I've been listening as best I can. That process has just begun. On Monday night, I had a conference call with the Ward Chairs of this party. This morning, I will have breakfast with key leaders in the pro-life/pro-family conservative movement. This afternoon, I will meet with most of our judges to discuss the future of the party and the Democrat budget mess that has been foisted upon us. Next week, I will have a conference call with the central committee. I am arranging meetings with key leaders across the county that care about the party and our efforts.

These conversations will start with me pointing out some of our successes in Hamilton County in the face of a Democratic tsunami. If we're going to discuss the future, we ought to have a clear, honest, and accurate picture of where we are and what we have done.

I do, however, want to ask for the help of many in our Party that care about the future. Right now, I am forming three key committees to look over a few critical aspects of party operations and to offer insights, suggestions, and specific proposals for the future.

Here are the committees and what they will be asked to do:

1. Committee 2010

For too long, our Republican Party has drawn on city council for candidates for office in the county and elsewhere. Ths is because these candidates tend to have higher name identification and can more easily win races because people have heard their names. There is little dispute that the candidate who is "known" is much more likely to be elected than the one who is "unknown." This is an ongoing problem for our party as our strength is in the townships, cities, and villages across the county and these great Republicans govern their communities without much outside publicity that could raise their name identification. Unfortunately, it is axiomatic in politics that voters will almost always vote for the name they know over the one they do not--even if the one they know is not fit for public office.

I will ask Committee 2010 to evaluate this problem. What can we do to boost the notoriety and electability of township, city, and village candidates for higher office? What specific strategies can we put in place to make these people viable candidates? What specific candidates can we identify as a party right now to make them viable for 2010 and beyond? What reasonable resources can the Hamilton County Republican Party provide to make this happen?

It is these questions and others that I will ask this committee of committed Republicans to consider.

2. Election Month Operations Committee

Our elections day operations have always been better than the Democratic Party. We have covered our polls, passed out our sample ballots, and done the grassroots work that needs to be done on Election Day. However, Election Day is now Election Month.

I will ask this committee to evaluate several things. Are inside pollworkers more important than outside pollworkers passing out our sample ballot? Are poll observers the right way to go? Should we be doing a Hamilton County poll flushing operation? If so, what resources do we need to accomplish this poll flushing operation? What resources can the Hamilton County Republican Party provide to accomplish these things?

This committee will be asked to do more than offer suggestions. I want us to implement a poll flushing operation in key strategic areas of the county that can get out the vote on election day. I want this committee to oversee and manage our absentee/early voting program. This will be a working committee of the party that can assist us at HQ in developing strategies and implementing operational changes to our election month operations.

3. Cincinnati School Board Search and Screening Committee

On this one, I expect criticism. Naive to run Republicans in these races, you say? I reject that. Our apparatus and organization as a party can be a big help to any candidate running in these non-partisan races.

We should not walk away from the city of Cincinnati. We can offer reasonable alternatives to how the city is governed and it can happen at the school board.

Will we elect Republicans? I can't guarantee it. We need to try.

I have met with several strong, intelligent leaders in this city that understand public education in an urban environment--and they are Republicans. In fact, a few of our recent school board superintendents were Republicans. The Republican message on education is better than the liberal Democrat view. We could make a difference in how the public schools are managed. We should try.

The work of this committee will be relatively brief. I will ask this committee to recruit, review, and educate our candidates for school board. We have several people who have expressed an interest and we will explore their interest further and get them launched.

After all, our great Bill Seitz got started in his public career on the school board. We need the next Bill Seitz!

Do you want to participate in this committee work? Let us know at 513.381.5454 or e-mail Maggie Nafziger at maggien@hc-gop.org.

Central Committee Conference Call

On Monday, November 24th at 7:00 p.m., the Hamilton County Republican Party will be hosting a central committee conference call for every member of the Republican Party Central Committee. The purpose of the call will be to discuss election results, to share analysis of the election, and to discuss the future of our great party. Every member of the central commitee will receive a letter and directions on how to dial into the conference call and how to participate. A similar call will occur with the Executive Commitee and the Ward Chairs. We have also scheduled a series of meetings with key supporters, local leaders, and our TCV group.

In these meetings, I hope to listen more than I talk. I will listen to every constructive and responsible voice that can help our Party into the future.

Watch your mailbox for specific information about these calls.

Nattering Nabobs of Negativism, etc.

Far too many people that comment on the blogs are "nattering nabobs of negativism." Maybe former Vice President Spiro Agnew isn't the ideal Greek to be quoting given his history of accepting bribes, but his famous statement applies here. It seems that 90% of the comments received on this blog are negative. I understand we just lost a presidential election, but that negativity existed long before we lost the election. The latest negativity comes in response to the good news about Andrew Ciafardini's appointment to the 28th House race. I posted the comments criticizing the Party for not naming Andrew as our candidate in the first place. I have rejected the ones that beat-up Andrew as he is now our candidate and a great guy. I didn't receive one positive comment about this great piece of news out of Columbus. Our hero, Ronald Reagan, was the eternal optimist and never a negative guy. Maybe we ought to learn a lesson as Republicans. Our posture shouldn't be negative. We need to find a positive vision for our party and for our country. I'll keep posting the negativity as long as it doesn't directly hurt our cause, but I would like to see it end.

And...

We had a busier than expected week at HQ this week as we are doing several things. First, we are analyzing election results to get a better handle on what happened in Hamilton County. Second, we are planning for the future by coordinating meetings with Judges, the TCV committee, and donors. We are also planning a series of conference calls to hear from every person associated with this party. Watch your mailbox for information about our "Future of the Party" conference calls.

And...

Are you interested in running for school board in Cincinnati? We're interested in having you as one of our candidates. We're not walking away from city races and 2009 poses a great opportunity for us to pick-up seats on the dysfunctional Cincinnati school board. If we want a government that does more-with-less and does not raise your taxes, it ought to start with the school board. If you are interested in being a candidate, call Maggie Nafziger at 513-381-5454.

And...

President-elect Obama continues to get a honeymoon from the mainstream media. I've pointed this out twice already on this blog. Obama is likely to get this free-pass for most of his presidency. I don't often quote Ann Coulter, but I thought this passage from her latest article was worth repeating: "For now, we have a new president-elect. In the spirit of reaching across the aisle, we owe it to the Democrats to show their president the exact same kind of respect and loyalty that they have shown our recent Republican president." How true.

And...

This county budget mess continues to dominate local politics. The two Democrats that run the county budget on the County Commission have a real mess. We'll be watching.

And...

Have you seen the interview with unrepentant terrorist William Ayers on ABC News? That guy is a piece of work. He stands by his statement that, "I don't think we did enough" when referring to his group's bombings. Unbelievable. If Democrats and mainstream Americans start to believe that kind of nonsense, we are in serious trouble as a nation and as a people.

And...

The 2nd Democrat that ran against Jean Schmidt, David Krikorian, regularly e-mails me and Enquirer editor Ray Cooklis attacking us for betraying our Greek heritage by not supporting his candidacy or speaking out about his ONLY issue, the Armenian Genocide Resolution. His e-mails have become a thing of humor for me and my friends because of his tone, his tenor and his Keith-Olberman-like rants. This man is one A.N.G.R.Y. Democrat! Not so sure why. The Democrats did well this year. To make it even better, Krikorian's rants are sent TO MY PRIEST as a cc: in the e-mails!! To my priest! I've been around campaigns and politics for awhile and this would be the first time the party chairman's priest was brought into it--not by the party chairman! Some people are simply not cut out for public office and this man has simply come unglued. But, it makes for a good laugh.

And...

Have a nice fall weekend.

State Representative Andrew Ciafardini

Our very own, Andrew Ciafardini, was appointed to fill the final weeks of Jim Raussen's term in the Ohio 28th House District.

At a time where our Party is searching for its soul and for our next generation of leadership, we should all be so pleased to have a man of Andrew's intelligence and character as the future of this Party. Since returning from Washington, DC less than a year ago, Andrew has distinguished himself with his hard work and dedication to our Republican Party.

On a personal note, it certainly is nice for this Triantafilou to see that Ciafardini rise to high political office.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ANDREW!

The press release is re-printed here:

Andrew D. Ciafardini Appointed to 28th House District Seat

Columbus – Under the leadership of Ohio House Speaker Jon Husted (R- Kettering) Andrew D. Ciafardini (R – Sycamore Township) was today sworn in as the state representative for the 28th Ohio House District.

“As we finish the work of the 127th General Assembly, Andrew will be a good addition to our caucus,” Husted said. “I know he will serve the citizens of the 28th House District well and I look forward to working with him in the coming months.”

Ciafardini's work in both the executive and legislative branches of government provides him a unique set of experience to represent the citizens of the 28th District.

Previously, Ciafardini served as the chief federal liaison to state legislators throughout the country at The White House. Earlier in his career, Ciafardini was appointed to positions at the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, the U.S. Department of State, and served as a Congressional District Aide to former Congressman Rob Portman. Most recently, Ciafardini served as Executive Director of Ohio's Future, an organization dedicated to developing innovative solutions to Ohio’s economic challenges and ensuring they remain at the forefront of Ohio’s political agenda.

“I am honored to be selected by Speaker Husted and the caucus to represent the citizens of the 28th House District during this session,” Ciafardini said. “There is important work to finish, and I look forward to working with the families of our community to ensure they are properly represented.”

A graduate of Sycamore High School, Ciafardini was born and raised in the 28th House District and currently lives in Sycamore Township. He holds a Bachelors of Science Degree in management from George Mason University.

Change? Still Waiting.

There is speculation in Washington that President-elect Obama will keep Secretary of Defense Robert Gates at the Defense Department as part of the Obama administration. That speculation has been fueled by Obama's team. For the latest article on this subject, click here. The article states, "[The] Wall Street Journal cited two unnamed Obama advisers Tuesday as saying the president-elect was leaning towards keeping Gates."

Robert Gates was an excellent choice to be Secretary of Defense. He was director of the CIA under the first President Bush and has dedicated his career to intelligence and defense issues. He has won great praise as the Secretary of Defense since taking the job from Secretary Rumsfeld. President-elect Obama should keep him in place because he is a highly qualified leader of the Defense Department during a time of war.

But...

I am absolutely astounded at his possibly doing so. And, most importantly, the liberal media that is so in love with President-elect Obama has given Obama a free pass on this!

Let me explain.

Obama won the primary fight with Sen. Clinton riding a wave of anti-war sentiment. Before the economy and energy took center stage, Obama had the "correct" Democratic view on the war because he had come out against it. His entire campaign was centered around criticizing the Bush administration and this war. He was critical of every aspect of Bush's foreign policy and his defense policy. Now, he is thinking about keeping Republican Bush appointee Secretary Gates at the most powerful cabinet position in the world? Really?

I wonder how Barack Obama would have fared with his core constituency had he said, "Once elected, I will leave President Bush's choice for Secretary of Defense in place." Can you imagine? What would the liberals have done with that? President-elect Obama ran a campaign against everything George W. Bush did.

The media is giving President-elect Obama an absolute free pass on this and that comes as no surprise to those of us that watched them root Obama all the way to the Presidency.

The Facts on the County Budget

I have reviewed several documents relating to the Hamilton County budget and the real crisis we face. For anyone interested in this process, consider reading the Administrator's Transmittal Letter. This letter is a 22 page summary of the budget situation and can give citizens a good summary of where we are. To view all the budget documents, click here.

Where are we? We are in the midst of a budget nightmare. It is real.

The county is calling for a $31 million reduction in the budget from 2008. This represents an 11% reduction in expenditures by county government.

The Democrats control the county budget. Have they been frugal and watched spending? We'll be watching.

The County Budget 2009

Hamilton County will wake up today to a headline newspaper story about the fiscal problems facing Hamilton County government. The Enquirer reports, "Pain Expected in County Budget." This sobering information has been known to me for some time.

Earlier this year, I blogged several times on the county budget mess. In my first blog posting (read it here), I showed how the courts have been frugal . In a second posting (read it here), I urged calm and cooperation.

The 2009 budget will force a dramatic change in how county government operates. Every single department of government will need to make cuts in a dramatic way. It is a difficult time for our county employees and their families.

As Republicans, we face a daunting challenge. Our officeholders control a large portion of the county budget.

Over the coming days, I intend to reach out to every Republican leader in this county to discuss these financial problems. It has never been more important to remember our principles as Republicans. We have an opportunity to lead and to do so in a responsible way that shows voters and taxpayers why we are the party of fiscal discipline.

I will keep you posted.

In the Wildnerness? Not in Hamilton County.

I was disappointed to read the Enquirer's article today about the GOP. It missed the key point of what I wrote on this blog and e-mailed supporters yesterday.

Hamilton County went from red to blue, yet the Hamilton County Republicans did remarkably well. That is a fact.

We are not in the wildnerness in this county. Republicans hold 15 of 18 judgeships in the Court of Common Pleas, 9 of 14 in Municipal Court, all 6 (well, maybe just 5) Court of Appeals spots, the Probate Court, both Juvenile Court jobs, the Clerk's office, the Recorder's office, and the Treasurer's office. I wrote that in my blog and I wrote it in my e-mail. The reporter missed that part--I suppose.

We are not "in the wildnerness" in this County. In fact, we fought off the greatest Democrat onslaught in a generation. We defied the "Obama effect" in large measure and held some critical seats.

NONE of this means that we're "ok." We need to assess our situation and make changes. But, we should assess our situation in a fair way.

To the many that have e-mailed or commented to this, I say THANK YOU. The e-mails have run the gamut from "not conservative enough" to "too conservative." This battle will rage for a period and it is probably a healthy debate.

Stay involved and help us make the changes we need to win.

What Now?

We took a sharp blow for the 2nd straight national election. Many of us thought it could not be worse than it was in 2006. We were wrong. This year was worse. It is disappointing and painful for those of us that believe so strongly in the principles of the Republican Party. Our challenge will be to define those principles and to find candidates who share them, promote them, and are true to them.

When I became Chairman of this Party in March of 2008, I spoke across the County about 2006. I said the following: "We took it on the chin in 2006...and we deserved it." I believed those words. I believed those words because we had strayed from the core principles of the Republican Party. We talked about lower taxes--and we raised them. We talked about smaller government--and we grew it. We talked about limited government--and we used government more than ever. It has been hard to watch.

As the leader of the local Party, I recognize the limitations that our organization has in changing the image of a Party that gets its image on a national level. However, there is a role locally and I intend to lead us to a return to our principles as a Party on a local level by finding, supporting, and promoting candidates who can do two important things: (1) be committed to principled, conservative, common-sense governance, and (2) show a dedicated commitment and ability to WIN races.

Tuesday was bad. But, it could have been worse. Much worse. The Hamilton County Republican Party scored some successes in the face of a Democratic tsunami like we've never seen before. We are not satisfied with the result. But, we should recognize a few of our accomplishments:

1. The Clerk of Court's office will stay with a Republican. Patti Clancy ran an impressive and overwhelming campaign and received every resource available from the Hamilton County Republican Party to hold this important seat. Many thought this race was an automatic win for us. The polls told us otherwise. I have no doubt that the campaign run by Patti Clancy and the efforts of the local Party made the difference. A win in that race was the highest priority of the Party and we accomplished this goal.

2. The Recorder's office will likely stay with a Republican. Rebecca Prem Groppe is an award winning Recorder and she worked as hard as anyone in this County to keep this seat. Although there are still votes to be counted, we are optimistic of a win in that race.

3. The Treasurer's office will stay with a Republican. Rob Goering recognized the changing environment in this County and staved off a serious challenge from a strong opponent. Rob's opponent ran a steady campaign and was running county-wide for the 2nd time. We will hold this critical seat for four more years.

4. Our only Republican seat on the County Commission will stay Republican. Greg Hartmann won by over 30 percentage points over a motivated opponent that worked across the County. Although many may see this win as part of "the deal," that does not tell the full story. In an environment as poisonous for Republicans as this was, nobody was "automatic." This was a good win for our Party and for Greg.

5. We suffered one net loss in the Courthouse and held onto Judge Dave Davis' seat with an overwhelming win by Commissioner Pat DeWine.

In scoring these victories, the Hamilton County Republicans outperformed Sen. McCain in this County. President-elect Obama ran one of the great races of all time. He is a unique figure in American history and is an inspirational leader to many. His ideas and ideology are misguided and I suspect the American people will ultimately see this. But, his political impact is a singular moment in American history. We held on to several key offices in the face of this onslaught. In fact, if Recorder Groppe wins, we will have held every single county wide non-judicial office (something we did not do in 2004 with a loss in the Coronor's race).

We had some success on other fronts:

1. Bob Mecklenborg, Bill Seitz, and Peter Stautberg all won races and will represent us in Columbus. These are three highly intelligent, motivated people that are strong Republicans.

2. We were on the right side of the onerous Red Light Cameras. Our local Party urged a "no" vote on Issue 7 and the voters agreed.

3. We took a position on Issue 8--Proportional Representation. The voters agreed with our endorsement of a "no" vote on this issue.

I intend to push forward and continue to fight for our candidates and for our principles. The demographics of this County have made it more difficult for Republicans. But, we are not done. Not even close. This County will be more competitive because of changing demographics. We need to change to accomodate the voters. We will do that.

In the coming weeks and months, I intend to listen to every constructive and respectful voice that wishes to be heard about the future of this Party. I intend to visit every Club, every group, and every candidate that I can to discuss the future and to listen. While listening, I intend to lead. I intend to lead us in a direction that makes us more principled, more open, and more organized. And I intend to continue winning races.

Change? Not yet.

President-elect Obama selected Rahm Emanuel as his Chief of Staff yesterday. The pick had been rumored for the last couple of weeks.

Rahm Emanuel is a highly partisan, tough-as-nails, Democrat. His reputation is one of being a partisan hammer. He is considered a highly skilled political operative who is brilliant and hard edged. Political junkies everywhere know this and we knew it long before he was named Chief of Staff.

I respect Emanuel. Most political professionals respect his acumen and political skill. He is a partisan warrior.

Here is something you will not hear from the media: Rahm Emanuel = Tom Delay. Tom Delay was the Republican hammer--the highly partisan Republican warrior that helped the Republicans rule the House. Of course, the media will never paint such a picture of a Democrat political operative.

President-elect Obama's first presidential pick is a disappointment to me. He is well within his authority to make any choice he wants. But, like so many Americans, I was hopeful that he would actually live up to his "post partisan" rhetoric. By making Washington insider Emanuel his first pick, he missed a chance to prove that he would actually bring change to Washington.

The Day After

Check out the poll I have posted on the blog to the right side of here. It asks about "the deal" entered into by the Democrats and Republicans.

Some of the vulgar, classless, gloating that has been displayed by the Democrats in comments to this blog is embarrasing for them. Guys--ya had a good night--show a little class.

We are still assessing the results of last night's election returns. There are many votes left to be counted and we still have a few races that are close enough to be affected. We will be monitoring all of this very closely.

My overall assessment is not great--but there is a silver lining.

I expect that Patti Clancy will win the Clerk of Courts race. This is an important office to us and one that needs to stay with a Republican. In a year where the Democrats brought a tsunami, I believe we will hold onto that seat. I'm encouraged by that.

County Recorder Rebecca Groppe has a lead in the unofficial vote count and we hope she will be re-elected to this important post.

Party leader Greg Hartmann won an overwhelming 30% point victory over an opponent that actually was out campaigning. Greg is a real leader in our GOP and the strength he showed at the polls last night was encouraging.

Pat DeWine won a great victory to hold onto a judgeship against a well-known opponent that we might expect might benefit greatly from the Obama coattails.

We did suffer some disappointments. Tops among those are Congressman Steve Chabot. There is no finer man and public servant to this area than Steve Chabot. He got caught in a wave that had little to do with him or his opponent, but more to do with the national mood. I spoke with Steve Chabot today and he displayed his usual class, dignity, and good humor. I am honored to call him a friend.

Judge Russell Mock is a rising star on the bench and we have not heard the last of him.

Finally, my former colleague and friend Judge Fred Nelson was defeated. This one took us all by surprise because of Judge Nelson's stellar reputation for intellect and fairness on the bench. This is clearly a race that was affected by the national mood as Judge Nelson is a fine judge and respected by everyone.

It was a tough night. The Republican Party should take a deep breath and then chart a course for the future. I am excited to be part of that in Hamilton County.

To my loyal readers (both of you), I may be taking a few days to rest and I'll be back to blogging in no time. Thanks for reading.

A Long Night.

It is roughly 3:00 a.m. and we are still at the Board of Elections where we are waiting to sign-off on the unofficial election results.

A few quick observations:

1. Congratulations to the Democratic Party and to President-elect Obama. Even as Republicans, we should never lose sight of the historic nature of this moment. The election of an African American man to the highest democratically elected political office in the world is a triumph of our American system. As R's, we may not like that the Democrats won. But, let's pause for a minute to say congratulations.

2. We did well locally despite the landslide. I expect we will keep the Clerk's office and the Recorder's office in a tough year.

3. We continue our domination of the courthouse with Patti Clancy and a large majority of judgeships still in Republican hands.

4. There are still votes to be counted in Rep. Chabot's race. We'll watch that closely.

5. We helped two Republican endorsed Judges retain their seats on the Ohio Supreme Court.

6. It was a tough night. We weathered it and I am committed to making it better in Hamilton County and across the State of Ohio.

To every volunteer and to every Republican, I say this: THANK YOU and keep the faith. This could have been worse. We should "take a breath" and evaluate where we are as a party without pointing fingers. We've had a great run and now is our time to re-evaluate where we are as a Party and to see what we're really about.

In the coming days and weeks, I will implore every Republican to look to a different future with me. More on that later...

Vote Today!

The day is here. Go make a difference.

We live in the greatest country in the history of the world. More people will go to the polls in this election cycle to vote than have ever done so before. In America, the people decide. It is a wonderful thing.

Vote today!

A Message from Ohio GOP Deputy Chairman Kevin DeWine

The 11th Hour
by Deputy Chairman Kevin DeWine

Four years ago, a CNN-Gallup poll gave John Kerry a four-point lead in Ohio the day before the election. Two days later, he delivered a concession speech acknowledging that "there won't be enough outstanding votes for us to be able to win Ohio, and, therefore, we cannot win this election.

"The six-point swing between the poll and the final result had a lot to do with the effectiveness of our ground game. On the eve of the 2008 presidential election, we're poised to do it again.

Our voter contact numbers in the past month are 50-75 percent higher at this point than they were at the same time in 2004. We're reaching unprecedented numbers and even outpacing states with double the staff and capacity. NBC News Political Director Chuck Todd wrote yesterday, "One of the better state Republican parties is right here in the Buckeye State; it's why so many of us aren't ready to count McCain out yet in Ohio. The Republican machine is a good one." Our team is generating the extra burst needed to get nearly 900 Republican candidates in Ohio over the finish line to victory on Tuesday. They're fighting night and day against overwhelming media bias, a five-to-one fundraising disparity, a challenging political environment and the partisan maneuvering of a secretary of state hellbent on concealing election fraud.

Despite those obstacles, we're nearly dead even and surpassing every goal. We have the best team of political operatives in the nation, and they're ready to shock the world on Tuesday. Help them do it. Go vote and encourage everyone you know to do the same.

Thank You

I am overwhelmed by the number of volunteers that I've seen putting in their time in this election cycle. It is tremendous.

THANK YOU to every last one of you for taking time out of your schedule to get this done!