OH-03: Dem Candidate Drops Out; Could Hackett Jump In?

[skipos]

"Stephanie Studebaker, the Democratic candidate in OH-03, has formally withdrawn from the race after being arrested on domestic violence charges. The Buckeye State Blog does an extensive roundup on who might replace her. The most intriguing name at the top of the list: One Paul Hackett."

"This southwestern Ohio district is R+2.9 - in other words, far less Republican than neighboring OH-02 (R+13.1). If Hackett jumped in, he'd make the race instantly competitive. All the Hackettistas still carrying a torch for him would give him an instant cash infusion, and I think Rahm Emanuel - who wanted Hackett to challenge Jean Schmidt again - might be interested in getting involved as well."

"I think this idea is a lot less crazy than it would have been earlier in the year. If you'll recall, around a month ago, Hackett finally endorsed Sherrod Brown. So maybe he's more interested in being a team player now. And if he jumped in in OH-03, he wouldn't be going back on any promises not to push other candidates out of the race, since right now there is no Democratic candidate."

"Can Hackett fans convince their man to get back into the ring? We'll see."

http://www.swingstateproject.com/

[FrenchieCat]

1. Damn....that's some news!

Saw Hackett on one of those comedy shows (Colbert or John Steward)....and I do have to say, I'm a fan!

[Mojambo]

2. He's certainly got a career in punditry if he wants one

He was spectacular on Colbert, and I'm not a huge fan.

I think he'd be good for the party and I hope he runs.

[bobbolink]

3. "Far less Republican".... time for a real progressive! No more

squishy Dems here!

[dsc]

4. It would actually violate the sore loser law

but since Blackwell has already let a Republican do this he would have to let Hackett.

[theanarch]

7. you'll have to explain why this would violate...

...Ohio's 'sore loser' law...as i recall, Hackett ran for congress in a special election last October and lost; this year, he announced for the senate, but withdrew long before the primary (i'm not even certain he even filed); all he would be doing here is filing for a vacancy. The only problem here would seem to be one of residency: last year, he (presumably) ran in the Second District and would now be running in the Third, and the presumption is he is still a resident of the Second. There is no legal problem: the Constitution merely requires that a candidate for the House be a legal resident of the STATE s/he will represent, not the district, at the time of the election...and the USSC has struck down every state law that tried to impose restrictions or requirements that supercede this (e.g., must live in the district, must be a resident of the state/district for a certain time prior to the election, etc). The problem would be strictly political, as it would give the GOP candidate the perogative to accuse Hackett of being a district-shopping carpetbagger...and that would cost him at least 5-10% of the vote by itself (yes, voters can be that provincial).

[LA lady]

5. a little busy

Isn't he the defense attorney for the Hadditha Marines?

[riverwalker]

8. yes, for one of them n/t

[sandnsea]

6. That would be ironic

considering the smears launched against Duckworth for running out of the district she lived in.

[Peace Patriot]

9. I greatly disliked what Sherrod Brown and the Democratic Party...

...leadership did to Paul Hackett, and I hope he runs for this open seat. We need more veterans in Congress--people who know what war is like, and hate war in the very core of their beings, and understand why it should be a last resort, and will never support, vote for, or fund wars of choice, and will not be fooled into doing so. Bush's war on Iraq has bankrupted us; it has very nearly destroyed our democracy since only by means of TRADE SECRET, PROPRIETARY programming code, in the Tom Delay-Bob Ney designed electronic voting systems, could this war be continued; it has destroyed Iraq; it has slaughtered over 100,000 innocent people in the initial bombing alone; it has destroyed our reputation as a society struggling to achieve peace, justice and human progress, in international affairs and at home. Wars of necessity are bad enough. Wars of choice are the most horrible invention of mankind. Veterans know this more than anyone. Unjustified war doesn't just kill people--it kills hope. Put Paul Hackett in Congress, and you will no longer have to see lies about war go unchallenged in our nation's capitol.

[OzarkDem]

10. Get up to date, willya?

Hackett has endorsed Sherrod Brown, he also apologized. Move on. Support Democrats or live with Republicans.

[Peace Patriot]

12. Sorry, if "up to date" means forgetting how MY political party of 40 years

sucked up to Bush, and voted for his goddamned war, and funded massive theft in Baghdad, and remained MIND-BOGGLINGLY SILENT while Bushite electronic voting corporations took over our election system, using TRADE SECRET, PROPRIETARY programming code to "count" all our votes, then I insist on remembering.

My first vote for president was in 1964. I voted for LBJ, who advertised himself as the "peace" candidate--and what I got for that vote was upwards of TWO MILLION PEOPLE slaughtered in Southeast Asia. Sherrod Brown strikes me as just the sort of sucker Democrat who would fall for a "Gulf of Tonkin" incident, this time with Iran. Paul Hackett strikes me as a man who WOULD NOT fall for it. And I believe that's why he was taken out--undermined and betrayed by the Democratic war party faction, which I believe intends to COMPLETE the Bush junta's war in the Middle East. Hackett's endorsement of Brown, and apology, don't change what I think of his EXPERIENCE of that war and veteran's perspective on it--and how much that is needed in Congress. His antiwar stance is the REASON why he was elbowed out. And I want to see him back in FOR THAT VERY REASON--for the reason that he was pushed aside--his direct personal experience of this war, and his INDEPENDENT view of it.

If "up to date" means that I have to slough my memory, and historical reality, into the garbage heap of "The Project for a New American Century"--and stupidly buy into Democratic Party LIES about their intention to "withdraw" from the Mideast war--then I choose NOT to be "up to date." I REFUSE to close my eyes to this one-two punch of unjustified mass murder and global corporate predation that the Republican and Democratic Parties present us with. Bush slaughters a hundred thousand innocent people (in the initial bombing alone), and all the Democrats can talk about is that it was "incompetent." That's what we have to work with, as the Democratic Party rank and file, and in truth, as members of the vast majority of Americans who hate this war. WE ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE A CHOICE. IT'S ALL SET UP for the U.S. to invade and occupy the entire Middle East--as lunatic as that is.

THAT'S why Paul Hackett was pushed aside. He is not "with the program." And I want to see him in Congress, one way or another, BECAUSE he is an independent voice. We have too few people representing our true interests.

And don't give me this crap of "support Democrats or live with Republicans." I have supported Democrats all my life, with fewer and fewer rewards for doing so. And I will support almost any alternative to Bushites. But I don't have to be happy about what the Democratic leadership is doing, and I WILL NOT BE QUIET ABOUT IT.

I have seen too many body bags.

[saltpoint]

11. I thought Hackett lived in Indian Hill. Is that in the third district,

or would he have to relocate there and declare residency to run?

Is there time to do it?

Because he would really shake things up pretty good.

It would be great to pull this race out of the fire.