Sherrod Brown Blog

Tour Update

2005-12-04T19:58:00.000-05:00

After a stop in Chillicothe, Sherrod Brown has just arrived to speak
at the Riverboat Room in Steubenville.

Details will be posted later

Announcement Tour Day 2 - Part 1

2005-12-04T10:16:00.000-05:00

After leaving yesterday mornings breakfast Sherrod Brown headed towards Toledo for coffee and to discuss issues facing Ohioans. Downtown Toledo is now just a shell of it's former self. Empty store fronts, empty warehouses and empty factories. After discussing everything from the environment to jobs in Ohio the Congressman was on to his next stop in Dayton.

The Congressman received a warm reception at the Montgomery County Holiday party in Dayton, once again he delivered his message that he does not represent the interests of corporations or any other out of state interests. Instead he is representing the interests of every single Ohioan.

More later, including the Lebanon stop

Also, if you have not already done so checkout the pictures and audio up on GrowOhio

Lorain Event: "Get out of our state!"

2005-12-03T10:29:00.000-05:00

Just a few moments ago Sherrod Brown finished speaking at the Lorain Party Center, the crowd rose out of their seats as he spoke of state interests.

Well, here's what I have to say to all of these out-of-state interests: Get
out of our state!

More later ...

Announcement Tour - Day 1

2005-12-02T23:26:00.000-05:00

(AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato)

Sherrod Brown was joined by his family today as he officially announced his candidacy for US Senate in the Ohio Statehouse.

"I am fighting for family values: putting food on the table, sending the kids to college, keeping the house warm this winter, and making sure our grandparents get the medicines they need [...]"

It's not too late to see Sherrod as he tours the state to announce his Senate candidacy. Check to see if there is an event in your area.

Announcement Tour

2005-11-30T22:29:00.000-05:00

Check to see when Congressman Sherrod Brown will be in your area during his 4 day kickoff tour this weekend. Then RSVP for one of the events, all events are free and open to the public. Cities include Mansfield, Lorain, Toledo, Lebanon, Chillicothe, Steubenville, Akron, Canton and more. Check out the complete list here.

A few random thoughts

2005-11-17T22:07:00.000-05:00

This week has been really quiet regarding the Senate race, there is a new poll out that shows Hackett beating DeWine. Not really surprising, but they didn’t poll Brown so it doesn't really offer much to compare.

Turns out that Apple donates 99% to Democrats and the other 1% is not specified. Either way even with my student discount, as somebody suggested, the Apples are still a bit pricy. So far I've heard Dells aren't good, HPs aren't good, Toshibas aren't good and Apples are good but expensive ... what to do now?

Tim Russo, Democracy Guy, is now posting at a new site called BuckeyePolitics.net, even though I sometimes disagree with Russo I do enjoy reading his blog. (Seems like an interesting guy, although I’ve never meet him)

I myself have been busy working on another project that will be unveiled soon. My search for a guest bloggers hasn’t been going that well ... it hasn't been going at all actually.

Want to blog?

2005-11-14T00:27:00.000-05:00

I've been a bit busy and the blog has suffered (should pickup again this week though). But I've decided that it may be a good idea to get another blogger aboard. So if you are interested just send me an email, brown2006@gmail.com. If you have blogging experience that's great, if you don't it does not make a difference.

BTW, I’m laptop shopping anybody have any advice? I’m leaning towards getting a Dell or an HP.

Fact vs Fiction

2005-11-10T17:01:00.000-05:00

There are some strange rumors floating around, so let me clarify.

Fact:
Sherrod Brown is running for Senate
Sherrod Brown has opened a campaign office in Amherst

Fiction:
Sherrod Brown has rented a hall in order to announce he is not running (why would somebody rent a venue to announce they are not running?)

And then there is somebody taking issue that the pictures of the office where taken on election day ... get a life! You are trolling and you are bad at it!

Office Location

2005-11-09T17:08:00.000-05:00

Katherine at GrowOhio announced that a store front in Amherst will be the HQ.

Our address is 2280 Kresge Drive, Amherst, Ohio 44001.

Right in the district, in Lorain county and not far from me. Pretty good location.

Well …

2005-11-08T23:59:00.000-05:00

Definitely not the result I was hoping for tonight; even the school board member I voted for lost. More tomorrow, I’m tired. Good night and tomorrow is a new day and a new election cycle.

PS: Why did RON fail? My opinion is that the text where to long and people didn’t bother to read them so they just voted NO. I had at the very least expected Issue 2 to pass. Oh well.

Voting Open Thread

2005-11-08T18:46:00.000-05:00

I voted on the new touch screen system in Lorain County today, it went pretty smooth. Took me a second to figure out where to put the card in and if I had red the big sticker on the machine it would not have been an issue. But as usual I figure “it’s a computer, how hard can it be?”. So when dealing with voting always read the instructions. I went in the morning when a lot of elderly where voting and they didn’t have any problems figuring out what’s going on. (once they figure out how to get the card in) Am I sure my vote counted, no … if RON passes I’m pretty confident that there wasn’t anything fishy going on.

I did hear of a few technical problems early in the day with setup but nothing major. A site or two in Lorain County opened late because workers where late.

Leave a comment and let me know how it went for you today, especially if you voted on a computerized system. I'm not going to be at my computer watching the results, so I'll have commentary later tonight or early tomorrow.

Dispatch Polling

2005-11-07T15:27:00.000-05:00

Tim Russo on Dispatch polling:

The Dispatch mail-in poll is universally believed to be the most accurate poll in Ohio. You wouldn't know that if you were a blogger in Berkeley, CA, would you. Yes, it's weird that it's mail-in. Yes, it has a big sample. It's almost always right on the money. The Zogby internet poll is...well...an internet poll. Worthless. That's why I don't talk about it much when I've got a Dispatch poll with a track record coming out almost simultaneously.

As crazy as the poll sounds, it is usually accurate.

Poll: Brown beats DeWine, DeWine beats Hackett

2005-11-07T13:34:00.000-05:00

Polling released this morning from the Columbus Dispatch indicates that Sherrod Brown is ahead. Brown gets more of the independent and Democratic base then Hackett.

Via MyDD

New Zogby.com Numbers

2005-11-06T23:46:00.000-05:00

Hackett 45.2
DeWine 35.3

Hackett 43
McEwen 37.7

Brown 40
DeWine 36.7

+- 3.2'

Hackett is beating everybody at the moment. Although they don't have results for Sherrod Brown v. Paul Hackett. One things for sure, DeWine is in bad shape. McEwen is outpolling him. Keep in mind these are Zogby Interactive (Online) numbers. (I woudn't put to much money on them) We all admit that Hackett is ahead online, but on the ground? We'll have to wait and see till some traditional polling comes out.

Sherrod Brown on oil company profits

2005-11-03T23:29:00.000-05:00

In a statement made last week Congressman Brown responds to the huge oil company profits

"Oil company profits are being made on the backs of Ohio families," Brown said. "President Bush and Republican leadership in Congress have refused to support consumer-friendly energy policies. Today's announcement is another shameful mark against the administration and its big oil supporters."

Complete Press Release
Earlier post I made discussing gas prices

Brown Campaign Headquarter Location

2005-11-01T16:54:00.000-05:00

Somebody emailed me today telling me that the campaign HQ will be in Lorain, not far from where I live. Also offices will be located in Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati. Makes a lot of sense, Congressman Brown’s district office is already located in Lorain and he himself lives in Avon.

Katherine Scott

2005-10-31T19:49:00.000-05:00

Katherine Scott is the new Internet Field Coordinator for the Sherrod Brown campaign. Don't really know anything about her, but from a little research I've found that she worked for Dennis Kucinich in 2004 as Deputy Field Director. Don’t have much else right now on this.

I am proud to be working in Ohio for a candidate I have grown to admire greatly. I have organized in Ohio before and I am very aware of its complicated political environment. I have long supported Congressman Brown and even interned in his congressional office in DC. In fact, Sherrod Brown is my congressman. My time with the campaign will be not only a job, but a blessing and honor.

via GrowOhio

Some thoughts on Brown/Hackett

2005-10-30T22:53:00.000-05:00

While I disagree with most of this post by the Buckeye Senate Blog, I am surprised to see he/she will admit the Brown currently has an edge in the primary race.

Brown has the edge in a primary right now, because of the money and his NE roots where the bulk of the Dem votes come from [...]

I also came across this post from over a week ago at Plunderbund, the highlights as follows:
· Apparently I’m “mysterious” – ok I’ll go with that
· “Brown will remain the favorite of the Northeast” - True
· “But don’t be misled Mr. Brown06 man, there is dissent right here in the Buckeye State” – False

To more I look at all of the bloggers commenting on this race the more I realize that this is more about Blogger ego then anything else. This has nothing to do with Ohio, nothing to do with who is the best candidate, nothing to do with Sherrod Brown and nothing to do with Paul Hackett. Going back to this from a few days ago by Majikthise,

[...] The reason to support Hackett over Brown is simple--if Hackett wins (and he can win), the progressive blogosphere makes history. [...]

Now I’m not saying all bloggers are out for this reason, there are more then a few that support Paul Hackett for valid reasons (such as the Ohio 2nd Editor, there are a few more). The ones with the valid concerns seem to be actually based in Ohio. But a good percentage are just out to score a victory against the establishment for the blogosphere. Good luck.

Nothing post worthy

2005-10-30T01:05:00.000-05:00

IÂve had a lot of stuff going on in the past few days and frankly I havenÂt come across any new information that warranted a post. Also the general public doesnÂt care about this race yet, the candidates would be foolish to waste there time campaigning right now when nobody is listening. After next Tuesday (Nov 8) there will be more to report on, including when and where Sherrod Brown will be announcing. (It is still my understanding that no date, time or place has been set yet)

I'll keep you updated

The Blogfather has called it quits

2005-10-26T14:14:00.000-05:00

At least temporarily Jerome Armstrong will quit his independent blogging and only blog on campaign related sites.
He announced it in this MyDD post.

I'm not going to be posting or blogging here any longer while working campaigns. There's no upside and the downside of posting personal opinions, where it's easy to mark it as a political ploy by the opposition, is plenty. If you do see me blogging, it will be with the campaigns or committees sites or blogs I'm working.
[…]

Via The Beltway Blogroll

I’m personally disappointed about this, I've always enjoyed reading what Jerome had to say. But at least this way he will be to concentrate fully on getting his candidates elected and it is clear why he is doing what he is. Any potential conflict of interest is put to rest.

Ohio 2nd Blogger wants off and going bananas over Hackett

2005-10-25T13:57:00.000-05:00

Ohio 2nd Blogger wants off [the new Hackett campaign bus?] (I couldn’t resist)

We’re mentioned in yesterday’s blogometer. I’ll confess that I’m tired of this whole blogwar. Maybe if I ran banner ads I’d be trumping it up. (Hmm… there’s an idea…)
Here’s what we’ve got: Brown changed his mind on running for Senate. Boo hoo. Brown’s got a lot of contacts in the media and he knows how to use them. Waaaaa. David Sirota is a nimrod. I said it, I meant it, I’d say it again… Hackett bloggers can be jerks. It’s true… Liberal blog portal frontpagers that support Sherrod Brown can be jerks. Yup… Hackett is green. It’s a bug… no, it’s a feature! Hackett bought a bus so he could campaign with his family. GASP. I wonder if it’s the same one that Pat DeWine used? Hackett gave up on the idea that we could make things better in Iraq. Sad to say it but he’s right.
Both sides need to get over themselves. Nobody but us nerds cares about this soap opera.

Buying that bus was a pretty good move, if he loses at least he’ll have a bus.

Mike the Mad Biologist makes the following post

Can anyone tell me why the Democratic blogosphere is going bananas [sic] over Hackett's entry into the Ohio Senate race? [...]

To which Majikthise responds

[...]
The reason to support Hackett over Brown is simple--if Hackett wins (and he can win), the progressive blogosphere makes history.
[...]

So this is more about a blogosphere victory then about who gets elected to be the next Senator from Ohio? … What a surprise.

Bob Brigham and blog outreach

2005-10-25T08:46:00.000-05:00

Bob Brigham made a post on MyDD that I recommend everybody take a look at, here is a little excerpt:

The day Paul Hackett announced his campaign for US Senate is probably the last day anyone would think I would post a diary coming to the defense of Sherrod Brown, but the blogosphere is a strange place.
This morning's Columbus Dispatch has an editorial blasting the Brown campaign for reaching out the the blogosphere.
As someone who spends most of my time talking about the importance of the blogosphere, I think this is total bullshit to attack a politician for trying to reach out online.
[…]
That is the true power of the blogosphere, not raising money or attacking opponents, but helping people participate in politics.
So let's not bash people for reaching out online.

There are currently two types of bloggers, those who are paid to be consultants who basically just post the official message of the campaign or try to rally ‘netroots’ support by acting to be an average person (this is really shady IMO). Then there are the bloggers who post only on opinion, speculation and based on other media reports. Currently most campaign spokespeople don’t response to inquiries from bloggers, but yet they complain when they post information that isn’t confirmed. If the campaign can’t be reached for comment, then a blogger will post it anyway.

I think effective campaigns will be bridging the gap, creating a blog spokesperson for say. This person would not be necessarily blogging themselves (maybe on an official campaign blog) nor will this person should not just be feeding press releases to bloggers (like the GOP is now trying to do with the right wing blogs). Rather this person should be a person who responds directly to bloggers questions and concerns. This would benefit both sides, bloggers would be able to post more accurate information and the campaign would be able to clear up things that are false before they blow up.

Just my take on the situation

Update: To clarify, Paul Hackett does have a sign up for bloggers on his campaign site and you can contact Sherrod Brown's bloggers through GrowOhio or via their email addresses. Both of these are great, but it's still not possible to get official comment from the campaign.

Sherrod Brown comments to The Fix

2005-10-24T16:23:00.000-05:00

Sherrod Brown comments to The Fix

"Paul is new enough to public office that he doesn't understand that no one is entitled to a Senate nomination," said Brown. The lawmaker added that he doesn't know where Hackett stands on any issues with the exception of Iraq and "he's had two or three different positions" on the war.

Every word of it is true, like it or not.

“Classy Move By Sherrod Brown”

2005-10-23T18:09:00.000-05:00

This is how the blogosphere responded to the Brown/Hackett ActBlue Ads:

Atrios:

That's a class move.

Kos:

Classy Move By Sherrod Brown

Upper Arlington Progressive Action:

That's a class move!

Buckeye Senate Blog: (Although that name is really misleading)

Is Browns General Election Fund Ad Illegal ?

I’m hoping the Hackett campaign hires this Buckeye Senate Blogger. It will make the victory over Hackett so much easier with all the BS this guy is spewing. I feel sorry for the true Hackett supporters who have to deal with this guy running around.

Update: All this payola talk has got me thinking, why am I doing this for free?

Things are looking better again

2005-10-23T13:29:00.000-05:00

I woke up this morning and things were looking better already, with the exception of that embarrassing spelling mistake in my last post. The Brown campaign has changed the ads to ActBlue advertisements featuring both candidates. Contributions made into the ActBlue fund will go to the winner of the primary, to use against Mike DeWine.

Now I know some take issue with this, but IMO this is the best way to go. If you want a Democrat to beat Mike DeWine, give money to whoever wins the primary. There is no point in wasting millions of dollars fighting each other in a primary. I’ll give a little to Sherrod now and I’ll give money to the general fund, if Hackett wins that’s OK. He’ll need all he can get if it turns out that he will be taking on Mike DeWine. Although of course I'd rather have it be Sherrod.

Update: I don't know what's up with this but Benjamin Rahn from ActBlue is commenting on various blogs that they aren't involved. Not sure why they are springing into defense mode. Also I think it was an honest mistake that the ads at first directed to the Brown campaign site, but a few people don’t see it like that.

Are the wheels coming off the wagon?

2005-10-22T22:38:00.000-05:00

My last post has been quoted by a few sites (some without attributing it to this blog) as the wheels coming off the wagon. So are the wheels coming off the wagon? I honestly don’t know, but it sure seems like the wagon is stuck in the mud. But enough with the wagon analogies, this is starting to sound like the Roberts confirmation hearings with the Baseball analogies.

The open casting call for campaign staff seems a bit troubling to me. I would have expected the campaign to be picking and choosing staff, or has everybody said no? That’s really not the way to hire staff, but then again what do I know.

Also the editing of the original statement, of Sherrod not running, was probably not the best move to make. It’s out there already why try and change it? Remember blogs are instant and they are forever.

It’s to bad all of this had to turn out like this, Sherrod Brown really is a good candidate but in the past few days I’ve really been having some doubts about the campaign that’s being run. It’s misstep after misstep. Hopefully they will be able to get their act together.

Update: Rule #1, don't blog when you are tired, yes it should have been 'off'

Who will take over?

2005-10-21T22:32:00.000-05:00

Tim Tagaris’s leaving GrowOhio is going to leave the already hurt Brown campaign in even more trouble. So far it’s not clear who will be taking over and the open call for resumes certainly isn’t a promising sign. The obvious person to take over would be Jerome Armstrong who is already on the Brown payroll and involved in some fashion with GrowOhio. Although I believe at this time Jerome is still in California.

I still have not heard anything about an announcement date or any other campaign kickoff information.

In other news, the Hackett campaign will be kicking off on Monday at Hacketts house in Cincinnati. The new web site has also been launched and the campaign is getting into motion.

Just to remind some of those out there who haven’t picked up on this yet. None of the information on this blog is official. It is speculation, based on news reports and rumor. I am neither an employee of the campaign nor a volunteer of the campaign at this time.

Brown and the OHIO Blogosphere

2005-10-21T13:45:00.000-05:00

I will join everybody else in the analysis of the following now controversial quote,

“The blogs were here for Hackett, and here for me,” Brown told The Associated Press, holding his hand high for Hackett’s support level and then lowering it for his own. “Now, they’re even and that was the only place he had any advantage before.”

Are Sherrod Brown and Paul Hackett even in the blogosphere? No, absolutely not. But I think the Ohio blogosphere is divided equally. Those with the strongest feelings for Hackett and against Brown seem to be in other parts of the country.

One such example is the Californians for Hackett group forming on DailyKos. They don’t have a vote in this and they don’t have the interests of Ohioans in mind. They have their own interests in mind. They want a guy who’s going to call the President a SOB. While I don’t agree with the President, it doesn’t warrant that. Senators are supposed to be Statesman, not running around like a bunch of immature teenagers using profanity. That doesn’t go over well with a lot of people in Ohio, we are proud and we don’t need somebody like that representing us. If you in California want somebody like that, why don’t you elect him to be your Senator.

Ohioans are also not going to pick their Senator based on the war in Iraq. Not that Ohioans don't care about Iraq. But they are going to pick the guy who’s going to keep the steel mills from closing. The person who is fighting for healthcare and social security. Issues like that, along with others, are what Ohioans care about. That person is obviously Sherrod Brown. That is why he will be the next Senator from the great state of Ohio.

Join Sherrod Brown’s Team

2005-10-20T22:18:00.000-05:00

The campaign is now taking applications for the following 3 positions: Internet Communications Director, Internet Outreach Organizer and Webmaster/Technical Director. If you are interested visit this site.
Also it’s now official, Tim Tagaris will be taking a new job at the DNC in DC.

[…] I accepted a job at the Democratic National Committee to begin after the Reform Ohio Now election this November. Over the next year, I look forward to helping create a smooth conduit for communication between the national party and the netroots. […] The opportunity at the DNC was entirely too important to pass on, and I will leave sometime in November to DC. I'm thankful to the future Senator from Ohio, Sherrod Brown, and his excellent staff, for this opportunity at Grow Ohio.

Good Luck Tim

Why Sherrod (Part 1) - Trade

2005-10-19T14:55:00.000-05:00

Sherrod Brown has been leading the fight against unfair ‘free trade’ and for ‘free and fair trade’. The passage of NAFTA by the GOP controlled congress who’s campaigns are funded by corporate donations has cost hundreds of thousands of Americans their jobs. The Representatives and Senators who voted to approve these agreements have been corrupted by big money. These leaders aren’t acting in the interest of the American people, they are acting on the interests of corporate America.

These trade agreements do nothing to create jobs for Americans and actually encourages American corporations to outsource work to cheap labor in other countries. It also hurts the workers in the countries to which we outsource, because the agreements do nothing to encourage better labor standards in those countries. They are increasing corporate profits while leaving Americans job less, and in some cases homeless. Much of the same will be true for recently passed Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), once it goes into full effect it will cost more Americans their jobs and way of life.

Don’t be mislead, Sherrod Brown is not completely against free trade but he is against unfair free trade. The idea that these agreements would allow US companies to more easily sell their product on foreign markets may be true, but the reality is that there isn’t a market for these products. Citizens of these countries can’t afford to buy American made vehicles. The reality is that many Americans can’t even afford to buy American made vehicles. Electing Sherrod Brown to the US Senate would allow this champion of fair trade and labor to continue leading the fight against unfair free trade agreements.

Just a tidbit or two

2005-10-19T14:01:00.000-05:00

Not much to report, other then what was mentioned yesterday seems to be confirmed now. The Ohio Democratic Congressional delegation is rallying around Sherrod Brown. The Brown camp appears to be getting their act together for an official kickoff some time next month. I haven’t heard a date yet, but I’m guessing it will be announced on GrowOhio.

I’m not sure what the status of the Hackett campaign is, although some supporters seemed to be annoyed at the Brown campaign for buying all these BlogAds. They are also commenting that why doesn’t Sherrod just post a diary on DailyKos to have a dialog, one he is smart enough not to get trapped in that one and two he’s got other things to worry about (you know unlike Hackett he actually won a House race).

Rep. Strickland encouraged Brown to run

2005-10-18T20:39:00.000-05:00

The Hill is reporting that Rep. Strickland influenced Sherrod's decision to enter the race early this month.

Rep. Ted Strickland, who is seeking the Ohio governor’s mansion, urged Rep. Sherrod Brown to run for the Senate shortly before Brown announced earlier this month that he would do so.

[…]

The hope, voiced by Strickland and other Democrats, is that Brown, from northeastern Ohio, and Strickland, from the southeast, would jointly mobilize an array of urban liberals and rural, conservative Democrats across the state.

“I do believe that Sherrod and I can have complementary campaigns,” Strickland said in an interview yesterday. Strickland called Brown one of the “brightest minds” in the Democratic Party and a longtime friend.

[…]

Brown’s colleagues in the House, meanwhile, appear to be coalescing around his candidacy. Besides Strickland, Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) has endorsed Brown, Kucinich spokesman Doug Gordon said. Other members of Ohio’s six-member Democratic delegation are expected to back Brown, Democratic sources indicated. Nicole Williams, a spokeswoman for Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-Ohio), said the congresswoman would be publicly endorsing one of the two candidates.

OT: Schwarzenegger Supports Ohio Issue 4

2005-10-18T11:24:00.000-05:00

Adding another twist to Reform Ohio Now, The New York Times is reporting that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is supporting Issue 4.

A campaign aide to Mr. Schwarzenegger, Darrel Ng, said Monday that the governor endorsed the Ohio measure, known on the Nov. 8 ballot as Issue 4, though he has not said so publicly. A top supporter of the measures in both states said Mr. Schwarzenegger would participate in a series of public events this week to signal his stance.

View the Complete Article (For a Password visit BugMetNot.com)

This proves that Issue 4 is not a partisan issue, it’s just the right thing to do. Everybody, Democrat or Republican, should realize this and vote ‘Yes’ on November 8th.

Brown Blog Ad Buy

2005-10-18T11:07:00.000-05:00

I’m sure you have already seen them. The campaign has BlogAds running on all the leading progressive blogs including DailyKos, atrios, MyDD and the Swing State Project. Taking the published weekly rates into consideration, I’d estimate this add buy to be costing between $4000 and $5000 a week. Although I have been unable to confirm any numbers or weeks of commitment. And yes, a few people seem to be upset by this already.

Sherrod Brown's Letter

2005-10-17T21:21:00.000-05:00

In case you haven't already seen it:

Welcome Friends,
This has been an extraordinarily busy year to be a representative of Ohio in DC, perhaps the most invigorating of my thirteen years in Congress. Activists in Ohio and across the nation have joined together to combat the most insidious aspects of the Bush agenda:

We have stopped and probably killed Social Security privatization.

We came within one vote of defeating the job-killing Central American Free Trade Agreement.

We have exposed the vote-buying tactics and middle-of-the-night antics of Tom DeLay and the Republican majority.

We have changed the national debate on Iraq, trade, prescription drugs, Medicaid, and ethics.

On the political front, we have already begun to change Ohio. Early this year, my campaign hired Dan Lucas, an experienced political field operative to retool the Ohio Democratic Party in preparation for the 2006 elections.

We are assisting the state party in unearthing illegal Republican practices in the state, pulling back the curtain to expose years of political corruption and cronyism in Ohio.

We began the GrowOhio.org blog, and in August, our bloggers helped Paul Hackett come close to being elected in the 2nd district, one of Ohio’s most difficult to win for Democrats.

We have recruited and trained top-tier Democratic candidates to challenge Republicans, raised money for candidates, and are co-coordinating message among candidates at all levels.

Now I am ready, with your help, to take all of this to the next level.

Before the end of November, I will officially kick off my campaign for the United States Senate. We will immediately showcase the depth and breadth of support that my candidacy has already attracted. Together, we are going to challenge and defeat an incumbent Republican United States Senator next year in Ohio.

Thanks for your support,

Buckeye Senate Blog?

2005-10-17T18:45:00.000-05:00

Came across this blog the other day and wasn’t sure what to make of it. “Blogging The 2006 Ohio Senate Race” the banner reads, well not quite. To me it looks to be a Hackett for Senate Blog with a bad disguise, nothing wrong with that but why not just say what you are doing? It’s also not clear who’s behind it, but I suspect it’s one of the usual suspects.

OT: Reform Ohio Now – GOTV

2005-10-17T18:25:00.000-05:00

With the upcoming election being an off year election some will see no reason to go out of their way to vote. But it isn’t so, the issues up for vote on Election Day matter to everyday Ohioans. Especially the Reform Ohio Now Issues 2, 3, 4 and 5.

Issue 2 will make voting much easier, making it less of a burden by giving the option of voting by mail. Voters won’t have to take time of from work or find somebody to watch the kinds when they vote. They won’t even have to stand in long lines outside of the precinct in the cold November rain like so many had to last year. Stress free voting without any time pressure or other factors preventing one from making their voice heard.

Issue 3 will limit the amount of money a person can contribute to a campaign and put other limits on big money involvement in races. It will significantly limit the special interest groups to sway elections and policy agendas.

Issue 4 creates an independent commission that will be charged with redrawing the districts after every Census. This would ensure that districts are drawn that give proper representation. As opposed to the current system that is completely partisan politically motivated and actually drawn by the politicians themselves.

Issue 5 will create an independent State Board of Election that will consist of 9 members. Instead of the current election system that is overseen by the Secretary of State who is a partisan elected official.

Tell you friends, tell you family, tell your neighbors that they must go and vote YES on Issues 2, 3, 4 and 5 in order to Reform Ohio Now!

Sherrod Brown for US Senate Buttons

2005-10-16T21:08:00.000-05:00

I just put up my virtual Sherrod Brown button and so should you. Read on to find out how.

Tim Tagaris at GrowOhio:

There are many ways supporters of this campaign can get involved online. While most candidates begin with an attempt to solicit contributions via the web, we have decided to take another tact. If you have your own website or blog, please consider placing a Sherrod Brown for U.S. Senate button on your site. We have created both a small and large graphic for you to select, and when visitors click them, they are directed to Sherrod Brown's website, or here to Grow Ohio.

Get involved!

2005-10-16T15:36:00.000-05:00

I know a lot of you want to get involved with the campaign for Senate and as the campaign gets underway there will be a need for volunteers. It is my understanding that a lot of the logistics such as the campaign headquarters and the like has not been laid out yet. So even though it is still a little early for now, if you haven’t already, go over to SherrodBrown.com and join the mailing list in the upper right hand corner of the page. Then continue checking that page and this blog, I will post information as soon as I get it.

Not much

2005-10-15T22:24:00.000-05:00

Trying a new layout, it's Blogger but with a WordPress theme, report any bugs please.

democracyguy analyzes where the "blogdaddies" stand

Well, Kos didn't even put Hackett's announcement at DailyKos onto the front page Friday, and sounds like he's sitting it out. Atrios sounds like he's sitting it out. Jerome Armstrong at MyDD is on Sherrod Brown's payroll, his buddy at MyDD Chris Bowers claims he's undecided. Swing State Project's Bob Brigham is openly pro-hackett, but his SSP buddy Tim Tagaris has a murky, perhaps paid, relationship with Sherrod Brown at GrowOhio.

Do the online contributors follow the candidate or the blogdaddy? Will this divide weaken the progressive blogosphere? or is it just temporary?

Hackett is in

2005-10-14T18:25:00.000-05:00

Hackett announced via DailyKos that he will be running, Diary Link. Let the primary begin!

What do you think?

2005-10-14T16:18:00.000-05:00

I copied all the posts over to WordPress, so should I stay with this (http://brown2006.blogspot.com) or move over to http://runsherrodrun.com?

Comment away please

I'll stop repeating my self now

2005-10-13T20:46:00.000-05:00

Well it's obvious whom I support so there really isn't a reason at this point to continually make posts stating why I support Sherrod Brown. I'm also not going to go and post negatively about Paul Hackett. I believe that Paul Hackett is a good candidate but I believe Sherrod Brown is a better candidate. So until there is an actual campaign to blog about and issue analysis to be made I'm probably going to remain relatively quite. At the same time I will continue to post and link comments and articles by other writers and bloggers.

Oh and I know there is a poll and I know one of you knows something about it, so ... (Hint: Send me the details!)

BTW: I'm thinking about moving to WordPress, comments?

DailyKos: OH-Sen: The Case For Sherrod Brown

2005-10-12T20:41:00.000-05:00

displacedyankeedemocrat over at DailyKos is making alot of sense, so check it out:

Let me begin by saying that I think that both Paul Hackett and Sherrod Brown are both men are men of truly good intentions who want the best for their state and their country. I refuse to dump on either one of them, and anyone who chooses to do so does not advance best interests of the party in the process.

A lot has been said here about the merits of Brown and Hackett. There is a lively debate over this, and I believe that it is not a bad thing. However, in my mind, the difference between Brown and Hackett, is less about ideology than focus issues.

If Paul Hackett was our Senate candidate, the focus would be on Iraq. There's nothing wrong with that. It is a horrible situation that our leadership has led us into, and I believe that Paul Hackett would do an admirable job presenting the argument for the need for a plan of how to deal with Iraq.

However, with all that having been said, I do not believe that Iraq is the most important issue for the state of Ohio right now. That particular issue is the ecoonomy, and that's why I think Sherrod Brown is the best person we can nominate as our party's candidate for US Senate.

[...]

There is genuine anger in Ohio right now over the passage of CAFTA, which went over like a lead brick in the state. There is anger over the decline of the manufacturing economy. There is anger over the direction that the country is headed in right now. That anger is brewing among working class union members in Ohio, and they're eager to punish the GOPers who voted for it. Brown is the man who is in the best position to translate that sentiment into a Democratic win at the ballot box, and that's why I'm supporting Sherrod Brown to be the next United States Senator from Ohio.

Complete Post

In response to some comments made:
I'm not going to disagree with the notion that Hackett might be able to win parts of southern Ohio, but I think he will have a much harder time winning in the North then Brown will have winning in the South. Nobody ever takes into consideration that Hackett will have trouble up North.

Response to commenter

2005-10-12T17:46:00.000-05:00

Chagrin Rick:

If you think for an instant that the Dewine camp won't use Brown's flip-flip against him, you're dreaming. [...]

Do I think that the DeWine camp will use the Brown's "flip-flip" against him? I not only think they will, I expect they will because that's how they play the game. Did I expect the Hackett supporters to do it? No, I'm pretty disappointed that they would stoop to that level to try and discredit Sherrod Brown

More attacks on Brown

2005-10-11T22:06:00.000-05:00

A conveniently anonymous emailer reports the following about candidate night with Sherrod Brown to Ohio Honest Elections.

"[...] As soon as the meeting was adjourned, lively confrontations erupted pertaining to citizen concerns around two excellent candidates engaging in mortal combat that should all be directed toward defeating Mike DeWine in 2006 [...]"

A commenter on the Ohio 2nd Blog named zachwest1 who was also present at the event has a slightly different version of what happened.

As someone who was present at the event, I can say that is a gross distortion.
There was one question about the primary, followed by several questions about GOP corruption, followed by a woman who wanted Sherrod Brown to support phonics in schools.
Rep. Brown's answer to the question wasn't very defensive, IMHO. He said that he changed his mind because of changes in his family and Congressional situation-his daughter had just gotten married, his other two daughters were starting college, and his wife is a journalist and had been concerned about the impact of his run on her job. Those issues are now resolved, and his family supports his run.
He didn't say anything negative about Hackett, and I don't recall him accusing Hackett of flip-flopping or mentioning his military service, period.

Hackett supporters playing dirty already, that's pretty sad. But I'm confident the people of Ohio are able to separate fact from fiction. The fact is that Sherrod Brown is on our side.

Bloggers slinging mud at Brown

2005-10-11T20:07:00.000-05:00

Some bloggers are still pissed that Sherrod Brown has entered a race and are calling him all kinds of things. They seem to be more upset at Brown then they are at Senator DeWine. Because they know Hackett can't beat Brown in the primary. But that's the point of a primary isn't it? To determine who is the best candidate. If Hackett is the best candidate then Hackett will win the primary. If he doesn't win the primary then he never had a chance of beating DeWine anyway. I'm still waiting for somebody to make me a good argument as to why Hackett is the better candidate. All I keep reading is that he is "better", "strong" and "more moderate", but nothing to really explain why. Also Brown knows how to run an election and raise money. Oh but wait you say, Hackett raised all this money online in a short amount of time. If you remember that was with the help of Sherrod Brown's people and infrastructure. The sooner that all of you realize that running a 2 month special election with low voter turn out is nothing like running a state wide year long race, the better of we all will be.

PR: Healthcare Update from Sherrod Brown

2005-10-11T11:16:00.000-05:00

Healthcare Update from Congressman Sherrod Brown

Knowing of your interest in healthcare, I am writing to alert you to developments in Congress that will have a direct and lasting impact on the healthcare needs of impoverished children, the frail elderly, individuals with disabilities and other vulnerable Americans.

As part of the budget process, Republican leaders are pursuing at least $10 billion in cuts from the Medicaid program. The President and House Republican leaders have recently proposed even deeper cuts to Medicaid and other programs that serve the poor and the elderly, reducing these programs to help offset tax cuts and the cost of Hurricane Katrina relief. They have resurrected a controversial proposal to turn Medicaid into a system of state-run "block grants". Under this proposal, the federal government would abandon Medicaid after a pre-set funding level is reached, leaving millions of children, seniors and other vulnerable Americans behind.

Medicaid is a federal/state partnership that provides health and long-term care coverage to millions of Americans. More than one in four of the nation's children would be uninsured if not for Medicaid. Because of Medicaid, pregnant women who live in poverty gain access to the pre- and post-natal care they need to ensure the health of their baby. Individuals with disabilities are able to live and work in the community because of Medicaid. Medicaid is the primary payer for two out of three Ohioans in nursing homes.

The devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina highlighted the importance of Medicaid. Katrina victims need health care that they simply cannot afford. The affected states are in crisis and are unable to fulfill the need, and the states hosting dislocated residents are unable to stretch their limited resources to cover access gaps. While the President has refused to provide federal funding to help the affected states deliver needed health care to Katrina Victims, a bipartisan coalition in Congress has recognized the need for meaningful federal assistance. Importantly, this coalition is advocating enhanced federal support for Medicaid as the most cost-efficient means of delivering this assistance.

In the wake of this natural disaster, it is particularly disturbing that the President and Congressional leaders would contemplate draining dollars from the Medicaid program. There has never been a greater need for Medicaid coverage. There is no ready alternative for the populations Medicaid serves.

If Americans care about the well-being of the unfortunate, about the health of our children and our parents, then our leaders should be bolstering Medicaid funding, not cutting it. As it stands, there are waiting lists for critical services and states are cutting coverage and benefits. Any legitimate savings garnered from Medicaid should be reinvested in the program to help preserve and expand it.

It is likely that Congress will debate the budget cuts within the next few weeks. Now is the time for concerned Americans to consider whether withholding funding from health care programs is the right way to fix the nation's budget problems, and give voice to your views on this important issue.

OH02 Blog : 75% chance that Hackett will not run

2005-10-10T14:10:00.000-05:00

Editor over at the Ohio 2nd Blog:

I'm raising the odds of Paul Hackett's political career being over to 75%. I don't see him taking on the Democratic Leadership, and I don't see him putting up with their B.S.

Complete Post

The Seven Cent Nickel supports Sherrod Brown

2005-10-10T13:52:00.000-05:00

From The Seven Cent Nickel

Readers of the Seven Cent Nickel know that I have been calling for Sherrod Brown to run for the U.S. Senate from nearly the day this blog was launched. And they will also know that while I had expressed some concerns over Paul Hackett, I also said I would support him if he were the nominee. None of that has changed. If Hackett is the nominee, he will get my support. But in light of Sherrod Brown's recent decision to run, I am announcing that I will support Sherrod Brown for for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate.

Sherrod has a long history of service to Ohio and is one of the most progressive voices in Ohio politics at any level. Like his fellow Ohio Democrats, Sherrod voted against giving the President authority to invade Iraq. He led the fight against CAFTA, and broke with his party and President to oppose NAFTA, a law that has cost Ohio thousands of jobs. Sherrod is also a strong advocate for passenger rail (one of my pet issues) and understands that energy issues are as much about homeland security as they are about your pocketbook. In short, Sherrod Brown will be a strong, progressive voice for Ohio in the U.S. Senate.

For the reasons above and more, Sherrod Brown is my pick for the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate from Ohio.

Sunday PD Articles

2005-10-09T21:53:00.000-05:00

I actually read this this morning but I've been busy doing other stuff. I just haven't gotten around to it. If you get the Cleveland Plain Dealer, not sure if it's on the web site, check out the article on A16 and the Forum piece on H1. They are two good pieces discussing the DeWine, Brown and Hackett.

The quote that I think everybody should keep in mind is this, "If people look at who I am in terms of taking on the drug companies, in terms of fighting Medicare and Social Security privatization, they don't see 'liberal,' they see that Sherrod Brown's on their side". The people of the 13th District already know this. Conveying this message to the rest of Ohio is what will make him the strongest candidate to run against Mike DeWine. Also Sherrod Brown has voted on some things that are very conservative. Voting "yes" on some issues that a lot of democrats voted 'no' on. Because he stands for what Ohioans stand for, he truly is on our side. More on that later this week ...

Also an interesting tidbit in the article is about DeWine and Bono, Bono called DeWine "the bodyguard of the world's poor today". Not sure what to make of it, but I did find this picture.

BTW: Don't bother sending me advertisements through the tip box, I'm the only one that see that and I'm not going to be posting them. Also if you email me, please give me a few hours to get back to you. I don't have Blackberry or anything like that to respond immediately.

Sherrod Brown on gun control

2005-10-09T11:51:00.000-05:00

A lot of Ohioans, both Republican and Democrat, enjoy gun ownership and hunting. Particularly in rural Ohio, where guns are part of everyday life. Traditional gun ownership is not limited to those areas alone, it's also commonplace in many suburban areas around the major cities. Sherrod Brown has in the past voted for "gun control" legislation and gets portrayed at times as being on a crusade to take away guns from Americans. This is not true, as is evident by this July 2004 statement by spokeswoman Joanna Kuebler. It reads as follows,

"[Sherrod Brown] supports 'common sense' reforms that balance the rights of gun owners with the need to increase public safety and protect children"

"Common sense" means owning a gun to protect yourself and your family, or to hunt. He is not in support of taking away that right from Americans. But you don't need an automatic weapon or anything of that nature to do that. Sherrod Brown knows that the key is to find a middle ground where the laws are taking the guns from the criminals and not from the law-abiding citizens.

Tip box is down

2005-10-08T18:42:00.000-05:00

I just exceeded my bandwidth therefore all the images and the tip box will be down for a bit till I get this figured out.

Update: It's up again, but I'm still going to switch to a different host

Have some bloggers already crossed the line?

2005-10-08T18:32:00.000-05:00

Check out this analysis by David Sirota

It doesn't matter what their public reasoning is, these people for whatever reason (maybe they see better job prospects for themselves with Hackett than with Brown?) are not being honest, because no honest person could say that a Brown for Senate, and Hackett for House ticket isn't the strongest possible way to gain the most congressional seats on election day. I'm sorry, you just can't. It is a hard, concrete fact. As my article notes (and math dictates), winning a U.S. Senate seat and picking up a U.S. House seat is better for Democrats than competing only for the Senate seat.

Complete Post

Update: Let my clarify, I was not attacking anybody with this. I was pointing out his reasoning (not mine) for why some bloggers are supporting Hackett.

Why should Hackett get the nomination?

2005-10-08T18:25:00.000-05:00

Everybody keeps asking "why vote for Sherrod Brown?", the real question is "why vote for Paul Hackett?". Sherrod Brown has a track record on where he stands on the issues, you can look up everything he has supported and opposed (I'll post a few in the next few days). Paul Hackett ... no clue, he has no record on anything. Again I'm not saying Paul Hackett is a bad guy and I'm not Hackett bashing (like some are Brown bashing). I'm far from it, he just doesn't have a record on anything.

Also something that should be realized is that this is not a special election in August, this will be a normal primary and then later a sure to be lively general election in November. The average voter will know about the election and the average voter will show up and vote ... but the average voter doesn't know Paul Hackett. Oh and those that point to the Zogby poll, keep in mind it didn't even include Sherrod Brown so that doesn't make for a good benchmark.

Oh and finally, get over it he changed his mind about running. So stop acting like a bunch of kindergarteners about it.

Tipsters: If anybody picks up anything about any new polls in the field (even without results) drop me a note.

Unofficial

2005-10-07T14:09:00.000-05:00

Just to remind everybody this is an unofficial blog. This blog is not affiliated nor funded by Sherrod Brown or any campaign. Official information is best obtained from GrowOhio.org or SherrodBrown.com. You can contact Congressman Sherrod Brown directly via this page.

Email Response

2005-10-07T14:06:00.000-05:00

I got an email from a fellow blogger the other day asking me why he should support Sherrod Brown over Paul Hackett. I thought I might as well post it here (slightly modified). Without getting into specific issues, since it's kind of hard to when Hackett doesn't really have a track record on how he stands on the issues.

I think the primary difference is that Hackett hasn't held a statewide office or an office in which he was involved with national policy. Brown has experience being a Congressman and Ohio Secretary of State, as a member of the House of Representatives he has worked on the issues that the matter to the average Ohioan, such as trade policy. I also think that Hackett comes off as being an inflammatory person, while that might be great for getting the democratic base it is not going to get the all important swing vote in Ohio.

It's official, Sherrod Brown: I'm On Your Side

2005-10-06T18:38:00.000-05:00

Earlier today, I began to inform my friends and colleagues that I will run for the United States Senate in 2006.

Due to personal and professional obligations, I was unable to enter the race earlier this year. For the first half of 2005, I devoted my entire professional life to leading the bipartisan effort against the Central American Free Trade Agreement. I also walked my daughter down the aisle at her wedding and sent two more daughters off to college.

The requests for me to run never abated. When my duties in Congress and at home changed, I was able to reconsider my decision. After consulting with my family, fellow Ohioans, and state and national leaders in the Democratic Party, I was honored to accept the call to run statewide.

I look forward to fighting for Ohio's working families. Ohio deserves to once again enjoy good-paying jobs with benefits. Our children deserve a quality education, and tuition every family can afford. Our families deserve access to affordable health care, health insurance, and prescription drugs. And we must finally bring down out-of-control gas prices with an energy policy that places consumers before corporate profits.

The culture of corruption plaguing state and federal government has led our state down the wrong path and it is time for change. As Ohio's next Senator, I will help lead our state toward promise and prosperity.

I will make a formal announcement with my family and supporters at a large public event later this month.

Official Statement tonight

2005-10-06T14:51:00.000-05:00

It appears that an official statement will be made later today, GrowOhio.org is reporting the same so I'm sure it's going to happen.

Brown is the best candidate

2005-10-05T22:10:00.000-05:00

What are the odds, I go to post and Blogger is down. Anyway, please stop it already with the straw polls, especially the DailyKos ones. Hackett is the DailyKos golden boy and if the members of DailyKos where voting in the Ohio Senatorial primary then I'm sure he would get the nomination, but they aren't (if you can turn a 70% lead in a DailyKos straw poll into a 70% lead in the primary election then my hat is of to whoever does that). Paul Hackett is unknown in most of Ohio. Brown has name recognition among Ohioans, they know what he stands for and they are sick of Mike DeWine. That is why he will win the primary and that is also why he will the general in the fall of 2006.

So he's in now?

2005-10-05T16:38:00.000-05:00

I was going to wait to post it till I get confirmation, hasn't happend yet but I posted anyway. According to Hotline Sherrod Brown is going to challenge Mike DeWine.

Making the case again

2005-10-04T19:39:00.000-05:00

Oh we are back to playing this game again, I thought it was over ... oh well. Sherrod Brown is still the best person to challenge Mike DeWine, Brown is a name in Ohio. Even moderate Republicans here recognize Sherrod as being a "Good Guy", who has come through many times in Ohio, especially for the blue-collar work force. If Brown announces that he will run, he will get the full backing of the Democratic Party, the netroots may be another story. Do the netroots really matter in a Hackett v. Brown primary? I would say a little, primarily through donations. Something to keep in mind in Ohio is the north/south divide, northern part of the state would probably easily go to Sherrod Brown, Hackett has 0 name recognition among the average voter up here. While the southern part will probably got to Hackett, but not by as big of a margin as the north would go to Brown. I guess you can run the numbers anyway you want ... bottom line, I'm on the Brown side.

Then again my opinion and $4 will get you coffee at Starbucks since I'm in Northern Ohio and I live maybe 15 minutes from the Congressman.

If you know anything let me know

2005-10-03T22:06:00.000-05:00

If you have any news of this development send me an email, Brown2006@gmai.com (as always emails are confidential) or the tip box (please be specific, since I don't know who you are I can't follow up for clarification).

Edit: I guess Hackett is in now, announcing on Oct 24

Not again please

2005-10-03T22:04:00.000-05:00

All I have to say is don't tease us. If Brown is going to run please say it, but don't get everybody's hopes up and then pull out again. We've gone through this one to many times already, everybody gets their hopes up and Brown doesn't run, then everybody gets up their hopes up for Ryan and he says no and now everybody was talking Hackett and we haven't heard anything definitive about that yet. Although he did say that if he lost in that last special election he would go back to the Marines, so ...

I'll have more analysis later

Not out yet?

2005-10-03T21:24:00.000-05:00

Hotline via GrowOhio.org

Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-13) spokesperson Joanna Kuebler, on Brown's previous statement he would not run:

"His statement has not changed at this time. However, Congressman Brown continues to be asked by state and national supporters to run for the United States Senate in Ohio. Personal and professional obligations have changed since his initial decision. He is consulting with supporters and his family about a possible run."

(Hotline reporting, 10/3).

Jose Candelario in 2006

2005-10-01T22:53:00.000-05:00

The 13th District Ohio State Senate seat has always been a contested one, last time around it came down to only about 400 votes. This time around Republican encumber Armbruster, who's gas stations recently had to file for bankruptcy, will be challenged by Democrat Jose Candelorio from Amherst. I really don't have a lot of information about him, but from the little I know about him he seems to support reducing property taxes and increasing school funding (I'd like to have a few more details about how he's going to do that, but we'll see). The campaign seems like it's off to a good start. Although the campaign really needs to add content to the web site, like more information on the issues, a volunteer sign up and the ability to accept online donation. I'd keep an eye on this one, it's definitely a going to be close but a very winnable one for Candelario.

Check out the Campaign here

Losey For Congress

2005-09-29T22:57:00.000-05:00

Following last November's election, Mark Losey decided to make that challenge. All of you know that he is running for Congress in the 15th district of Ohio, but now it is time to make that challenge official.

Please come out and show your support for Mark and his campaign as he officially announces his candidacy for the United States Congress.

Our announcement will be held on Monday, October 10th at 10:00am in Goodale Park (120 West Goodale Street near Downtown Columbus). We will be meeting at the gazebo and Mark will have the distinct honor to be introduced by Congressman Sherrod Brown who has been very supportive of this campaign since its beginning.

Please come out and learn why Mark will win this race and how Mark will be a new voice for hope, common sense and accountability.

After the announcement, there will be a reception nearby - details will be given at the 10am event.

Mark has been privileged to meet many people in the last few months, but we have a great deal of work ahead. Please join us. Join us on October 10th and beyond as we begin to take back the 15th district, take back Ohio and take back America.

I can't make it to Columbus on a Monday morning, but if you can please do! While you are at it grab a few friends.

What is Sherrod doing to lower gas prices?

2005-09-23T22:58:00.000-05:00

Well Congressman Brown is currently supporting three new legislative measures. First he is a co-sponsor of an Anti-Price Gauging Legislation (HR 3782), which is being sponsored by Congresswoman Heather Wilson from New Mexico, yes a Republican. That's putting common sense and the American people in front of partisan politics and big corporations. The bill will prohibit unfair price gauging after a disasters, it would limit the price to a maximum of 110% of the average gas price in the area in which the disaster was declared. The Oil Reserve Pricing Reform Act which will limit the filling of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve during times when oil prices are high so the government isn't raising prices for American consumers. Finally you have the GAS Reserves Act introduced by Congressman Brown himself. From the Congressman's official web site, "The GAS Reserves Act would create gasoline reserves in the Midwest and other historically vulnerable areas. These reserves could provide a price buffer when pipelines or refinery outages occur, mitigating price spikes that hurt consumers."

If you spot Gas gouging call the Attorney General at 800-282-0515

Another Update

2005-09-22T20:34:00.000-05:00

I've decided that just because Sherrod Brown is not running for Senate is not a reason to end this blog. He is going to run for re-election and there is always stuff to post and comment about. Although I do suspect that I will only be posting two or three times a week.

BTW: Does anybody know anything about a Republican challenger? I haven't been able to find anything. If you do, please comment, email or use the tip box to let me know.

Wal-Mart hearing

2005-09-21T15:34:00.000-05:00

Well apparently Sherrod Brown held hearings on Wal-Mart in Cleveland on Monday, I didn’t hear about it till today. I didn’t see it in the PD on Sunday, don’t remember seeing it on the local news and I didn’t get an email. Oh well, I would have gone.

Here is the press release:

FIRST CONGRESSIONAL FORUM ON WAL-MART HELD
"Are Americans Shopping Themselves Out of a Job?"

CLEVELAND — Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-13) today held the first-ever congressional forum on Wal-Mart. More than one hundred area residents attended the event, which featured Democratic Cleveland Reps. Stephanie Tubbs-Jones (D-11), Dennis Kucinich (D-10), and Ohio State Senator Bob Hagan. "Clearly this is an issue of great personal importance for families throughout northeast Ohio," Brown said. "I was impressed by how well informed the audience was about the effects of Wal-Mart on local workers and businesses." Prompted by fierce opposition to Wal-Mart in Cleveland, and concerns about the retail giant dumping employees onto state Medicaid rolls, the forum brought together economists, business owners, and workers to help examine the Wal-Mart business model. Testifying at today's forum were:

* Heather Boushey, Economist, Center for Economic and Policy Research
* Bob Baugh, Executive Director of the AFL-CIO Industrial Union Council
* Amy Hanauer, Executive Director, Policy Matters Ohio
* Burt Saltzman, Owner and Chief Executive Officer, Dave's Supermarkets
* Carla Henthorn, former Rubbermaid worker
* Tuesday Chapman, Tops Markets worker
* John Letner, Vice President, BCTGM Local 19

"We asked tough questions today," Brown said. "How do we help consumers look beyond sticker prices, and how do we attract good businesses to Ohio so consumers don't have to shop themselves out of a job?" Ohio has lost more than 170,000 manufacturing jobs since 2000. The event, held at the Cleveland State University Marshall School of Law, examined the outsourcing of American jobs, lower wages for local workers, and growing homeland security concerns of the Wal-Mart business model. 60 percent of all products sold at Wal-Mart are made in China. "Governments and communities must begin investing in businesses that foster economic growth, meet consumer needs, and honor workers," Brown said. "Instead, we are watching our main streets disappear while investing billions of dollars in the world's largest communist power." Brown said he plans to release a report based on today's findings to help determine the next steps for community and government efforts. He has set up a link on his congressional Web site where visitors can submit questions and comments. A Web cast of the hearing will be available by Friday, September 23, 2005. For more information visit www.house.gov/sherrodbrown.

Brown Introduces Gas Price Legislation

2005-09-21T15:30:00.000-05:00

Congressman Brown has introduced legislation responding to record high gasoline prices. As Ohio motorists know, prices were already high before Hurricane Katrina damaged key domestic refining capacity. Every 1¢ increase in retail gas prices costs consumers more than $1 billion a year. Congressman Brown's legislative package attacks high gas prices on several fronts:

* GAS Reserves Act - Would create regional reserves of gasoline to provide a cushion for consumers when pipelines or refineries go out
* Oil Reserve Pricing Reform Act - Would require the Energy Department to consider oil prices before pumping scarce oil into the ground for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve
* Anti-Gouging Bill - Would prohibit gasoline price gouging in the wake of a natural or man-made national or state emergency, and would allow the Federal Trade Commission to take action against violators

For more information, visit Congressman Brown's Web site.

Update: Fixed Images

2005-09-18T18:20:00.000-05:00

Even though I'm not posting anymore I'm getting a few hits everyday so I went and moved the images to a new server so the layout should look OK again.

I'm still deciding what candidate to blog about or get involved with in 2006, no particular candidate or race really excites me at this point.

If you got any ideas or want to say anything, email (Brown2006@gmail.com), comment or send a tip.

Thanks for your support

2005-08-17T23:05:00.000-05:00

Well I guess it’s time to shut this blog down, at least for now. It's been fun and thanks to all of you who have read, have commented or other wise contributed to this blog.

Take care

So here's who's left

2005-08-17T22:02:00.000-05:00

Here are the names I've seen thrown around now that Sherrod Brown is out:

Ryan
Hackett
Martin Sheen
Jerry Springer

The first two would be great candidates (still not quite as good as Brown would have been), the last two ... every time I see Martin Sheen I think "Bartlet", every time I see Jerry Springer I think ... oh you don't even want to know.

Sherrrod Brown makes a decision

2005-08-17T19:09:00.000-05:00

I've been informed that Sherrod Brown has made a decision, I at this point do not know how it will got.

Developing ....

Off Topic: Google Ads? Yes? No? Something else?

2005-08-17T18:41:00.000-05:00

I'm been running these Google Ads for a while now and they haven't netted much. So I'd like to know what you (my loyal readers) think, are the ads to distracting? Are they not worth the little they produce? Is there some other ad program I should look into?

Let me know comment or email me

New Layout

2005-08-17T14:10:00.000-05:00

I've been working on the layout, let me know what you think by leaving a comment.

Update: For one I just noticed I spelled "unofficial" wrong

DeWine is in trouble

2005-08-16T22:13:00.000-05:00

As I posted last week (via the VikingSpirt) John Hritz has now official announced that he will challenge Mike DeWine. This could at the very least make things interesting, since some GOP members have become unhappy with DeWine and will now presumably support Hritz. Even if Hritz doesn’t win the nomination (which I personally think is a bit unlikely, but crazier things have happened) it will cost the DeWine camp a lot of energy and a lot of cold hard cash. So now all that is needed is for the democratic side to stand behind one candidate (who I obviously believe should be Sherrod Brown) and avoid a messy primary battle. This would give the Democratic candidate the best chance to win the seat.

"For whoever runs, I have one comment: ANNOUNCE!"

2005-08-16T19:51:00.000-05:00

CRK over at The Seven Cent Nickel pleads with the potential senate candidates to announce. I’m going to join be saying Please Announce! ASAP!

Sherrod Brown and Tim Ryan are the front-runners. Martin Sheen and Jerry Springer are names still hanging in the ether and the latest name to be floated is Paul Hackett.

For whoever runs, I have one comment: ANNOUNCE!

There are literally hundreds (maybe thousands) of potential volunteers ready to go to work for your campaign right now. The 2006 general is 14 months away and the primary only seven. The more time a candidate has after his/her announcement, the more time they have to create an effective ground game. And an effective ground game means more than just door-knocking...

Read it over at The Seven Cent Nickel

Encourage Sherrod Brown to run!

2005-08-15T22:40:00.000-05:00

The petition drives seems to have slowed again to a complete stop. So I just want to encourage anybody who hasn’t already signed it, to please sign the petition now. You don’t have to be from Ohio to sign and actually interestingly only about half of the hits are coming from Ohio, a quarter are from Washington DC and then a few here and there from other states. (This is based on the ISPs)

Thanks to all of you who have already signed and continue spreading the word.
Also, if you have a blog please give RunSherrodRun.com a mention and help to drive some traffic to it.

LeftyBlogs.com

2005-08-15T17:58:00.000-05:00

Check out LeftyBlogs.com and the Ohio section

In short, it's a very easy and very fast way for you to find out what's happening in the progressive blogosphere all across America. Want the latest on the Ohio pay-to-play scandal? Go to the Ohio page. Want the latest on the Maryland governor's race? Go to the Maryland page. You get the idea.

Looks like an very interesting concept and it does as it promises, makes it very easy to find out what’s happening from hundreds of sources. I’m going to keep an eye on it and so should you!

Mike DeWine most vulnerable

2005-08-15T15:09:00.000-05:00

Chris Bowers posts on MyDD the most vulnerable Senate seats, with #1 being Mike DeWine.

1. (2) Mike DeWine is extremely vulnerable with a weak 44 / 43 approval rating. Of course, that is not the only reason he is vulnerable. As one of the Gang of 14, DeWine doesn't have many friends in the Republican base and grassroots. After his son was crushed in the Republican primary for OH-02, every Republican blog that wrote about it blamed Son of DeWine's defeat on DeWine being a member of the Gang of 14. Even further, as Hackett proved with an 11-point swing in OH-02, Ohio is clearly becoming increasingly disgusted with the Taft and other scandal-plagued Republicans who have run the state into the ground. Finally, no matter who DeWine's opponent is, Sherrod Brown, Tim Ryan or Paul Hackett, he will be facing a serious, serious challenger. The only poll on the race, by the DSCC, showed him at only 42%, but up six on Brown. Overall, I really think DeWine is toast. Of course, none of the three Dems I listed could run, making me look like an idiot. We shall see.

View the entire post here

Not much to work with

2005-08-15T15:04:00.000-05:00

I'm still here, just haven't had anything to post. Keep emailing me your comments and suggestions, or leave a comment in this post.

Anybody hear anything?

2005-08-11T13:51:00.000-05:00

I’m starting to get a bit frustrated (“a bit” is probably an understatement) about not hearing anything about a possible announcement. I haven’t even heard a rumor or speculation about an announcement, much less whether the announcement from Sherrod Brown would be “I’m running” or “I’m not running”.

So if you have heard anything (even if it’s speculation) please drop me an email or use the anonymous tip box, as always the emails are confidential and I couldn’t tell you who the anonymous tips are from if I wanted to.

100!

2005-08-10T21:54:00.000-05:00

We finally passed the 100 mark on RunSherrodRun and now have 103 signatures. Thanks to all of those who have been spreading the work and continue doing so.

Also H. Pierce Long, IV asked what happens with the money if you donate. The money goes to this blog and RunSherrodRun.com (primarily to pay for the hosting of RunSherrodRun.com), it does NOT go to the Sherrod Brown campaign fund or anything like that. Sorry about the mix up and if you do decided to donate (nobody has yet) remember that the donation is not tax deductible or anything like that.

Brown move complete?

2005-08-09T22:09:00.000-05:00

Back in July I reported that Sherrod Brown was considering moving to Avon, well it appears he is now living in a $430,000 home on Heron Lane in Avon. From the picture (that I didn't post for obvious reasons) it looks to be a large and beautiful house.

DeWine Challenger

2005-08-09T19:34:00.000-05:00

The Viking Spirit is reporting that John Hritz (former president of AK Steel) will challenge Mike DeWine.

Hackett for Senate?

2005-08-08T11:09:00.000-05:00

I’ve been hearing a lot of talk about Hackett considering running against DeWine, I’m not sure whether he is seriously considering it or whether people are just trying to push him to run. Personally I don’t think he has enough name recognition outside of the OH-2nd to run state wide, at least for Senate. I decided to conduct a little poll among a few of my friends, all of them up here in Lorain County, and asked them if they knew who Paul Hackett was. At no surprise to me … most didn’t. You can take that for what it’s worth … if anything. So in short, yes I still believe Sherrod Brown is the best potential candidate for the job.

The RunSherrodRun petition is now up to 91, so keep up the good work and keep telling your friends, family and random people you run into on the street.

I'm back

2005-08-07T22:15:00.000-05:00

Well I'm now (well came in this morning) back from my trip to PA, MD, VA, NJ and DC. So I'll go back to my regular postings now.

That's it for this moment

Sorry still out of town ...

2005-08-05T20:37:00.000-05:00

I'm still out of town, so I'm sorry I've not been posting. I'm posting right now on my laptop with my phone at an amazin 14kb. Next week I'll be going back to my regular posting.

Continue supporting Sherrod Brown Run Sherrod Run

FYI: Out of Town

2005-08-03T10:16:00.000-05:00

I'm going to be out of town for the next few days so expect blogging to be light. I'll be checking me email as usual so feel free to contact me that way.

“I’m thinking seriously about it [...] I love what I’m doing today, and I would love the Senate.”

2005-08-02T22:16:00.000-05:00

From the front page of The Chronicle-Telegram (Elyria Ohio)
Brown mulls Senate race
by Cindy Leise

Senate Democratic leaders have asked U.S. Rep. Sherrod Brown to run against Republican Sen. Mike DeWine next year.
Brown said he is considering it.
“I’m thinking seriously about it,” Brown said. “I love what I’m doing today, and I would love the Senate.”
Brown said Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid talked to him about running for the Senate. If Brown chose to run against DeWine, he couldn’t run for re-election to his 13th Congressional District seat.
“It’s both a personal decision and a professional decision, and I will make the decision as soon as I can,” said Brown, D-Avon. “I don’t have a timetable.”
Phil Singer, a spokesman for the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee, called Brown “a smart, aggressive member of Congress who works his heart out for the people he represents and would make an excellent senator.”
DeWine’s approval numbers are down, perhaps in part due to public concern over the scandal involving millions of missing Workers Compensation funds invested in rare coins with dealer Tom Noe, Singer said.
“He took money from Tom Noe,” Singer said. “It doesn’t help him.”
A Democratic poll shows Brown trailing DeWine by six points.
DeWine’s numbers slipped since February, when 56 percent were favorable to him, to 48 percent positive, 25 percent unfavorable and 27 percent unable to rate DeWine.
Only 37 percent believed DeWine was doing a good job and 31 percent believed he deserves re-election, compared to 42 percent who prefer someone else, according to results of the July 25th Democratic poll.
Singer said he hoped to have a strong candidate emerge “in the next few weeks or months.”
Democratic leadership also urged Youngstown-area congressman Tim Ryan to consider joining the race, which now has three lesser-known candidates.
Ted Celeste, a real estate broker and brother of former Ohio Gov. Richard Celeste, is interested in running along with Richard Condray, who ran unsuccessfully for attorney general in 1998 and the Rev. Marvin McMickle, a preacher from Cleveland.
Jason Mauk, political director for the Ohio Republican Party, said he doubts Brown would enter the race.
“He loves to eat up the attention — it feeds his ego,” Mauk said. “I have serious doubts Rep. Brown is going to leave his comfortable congressional seat and get into a Senate race.”
Earlier this year, Brown also considered running for governor but decided in April to stay out of the race.
Mauk said DeWine, who returned the money Noe had donated to his campaign, had nothing to do with investment decisions in rare coins and the senator will emerge unscathed.
Mauk laughed when questioned about Brown’s negatives.
“Where do I start?” he asked. “He has a record on Capital Hill that’s out of the mainstream — he’s more like Ted Kennedy and John Kerry than the average Ohioan.”
President Bush won Ohio and DeWine supports the president 96 percent of the time, Mauk said.
Mauk said he distrusted the results of the Democratic poll and said DeWine remains a popular office-holder.
“This is a Democratic poll and it’s going to say what they want it to say,” he said. “I’d like to see an independent poll.”

Close

2005-08-02T22:06:00.000-05:00

Schmidt won, but the close race is truly a testament to what the netroots can do.

On to 2006! Support Sherrod Brown http://runsherrodrun.com

OH 2nd

2005-08-02T21:34:00.000-05:00

Incase you haven't been following the OH 2nd special election, Bob over at the Swing State Project is constantly posting updates.

Not much going on

2005-08-01T22:12:00.000-05:00

Not much is happening on the Sherrod Brown front, atleast that I know of. That's why I haven't posted anything. I'm also going to be out of town for a few days starting on Wednesday, so I wouldn't expect to much posting during that time. But if something does happen, I will be sure to post it.

Press Release: BROWN SECURES $13 MILLION FOR LOCAL PROJECTS

2005-07-29T14:58:00.000-05:00

WASHINGTON — As part of the 2006 Transportation Equity Act-A Legacy for Users (TEA-LU), Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-Lorain) secured $13,017,728 to help fund ten projects in the 13th Congressional District. Reauthorized every six years, TEA-LU allocates highway and transit funding throughout the United States. TEA-LU was approved by a 412 to 6 vote in the House Friday. Brown voted in favor of the measure.

"The highway bill is good news not just for highways, but for public transit throughout northeastern Ohio," Brown said. "Coupled with local support, this money will bolster economic development and go a long way toward filling transportations funding gaps in Summit, Lorain and Cuyahoga Counties."

SUMMIT COUNTY

* Manchester Road, City of Akron: $3,200,000 — Reconstruct the existing pavement on Manchester Road (State Route 93) between Waterloo Road and Kenmore Boulevard. Manchester Road is a major artery in the southwest quadrant of the city. It is scheduled for reconstruction in 2006.

* White Pond Drive, City of Akron: $800,000 — Reconstruct and relocate the interchange of White Pond Drive and Frank Boulevard. Commercial, business and residential developments along White Pond Drive have caused increases in traffic volumes. This project will accommodate those increases and improve conditions for continuing growth. The relocation of Frank Boulevard will move the existing traffic around a quiet residential neighborhood.

* Akron METRO Regional Transit Authority’s Downtown Multi-Modal Transportation Center: $3,344,000 — Build an intermodal transportation center to integrate four major forms of public transportation serving the Akron area. Approximately 2,500 transit users travel to downtown Akron each day. Downtown is also METRO’s transit hub, with more than 2,000 bus-to-bus transfers occurring in downtown Akron each day. The center will host AMTRAK, the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, proposed Cleveland-Akron-Canton Commuter Rail service, Greyhound bus service, METRO RTA, buses and taxis.

* Summit County Engineer’s Improved Accessibility to Cuyahoga Valley National Park: $400,000 — The Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) has become increasingly popular destinations for residents of northeast Ohio. CVNP is one of the top 20 most visited national parks in the country. Improving access to the CVNP will increase the safety of the roadways, improve a multi-modal usage and access, and decrease vehicular congestion in the park and adjacent areas.

LORAIN COUNTY

* New York Central Train Station in Elyria: $1,712,128 — Renovation of the historic New York Central Train Station in downtown Elyria. The project will provide a multi-purpose facility to serve the transit needs of Lorain County into the future and create an attractive space for public events. The site plan includes a ten bus “pulse” area for Lorain County Transit, where all northern and southern routes will converge regularly to exchange passengers. The station has 76 parking spaces and an area for a stand-alone rental car facility.

* Reconstruct Broadway Avenue in Lorain: $600,000 — A street scaping project where the road, sidewalk, crosswalks, lighting and electrical systems will be reconstructed to give the gateway to the waterfront of Lorain a new face. It will also provide improved access to the planned reintroduction of trolley service to the waterfront development areas. Residents of Lorain have been denied access to the Lorain waterfront on Lake Erie for many years. The harbor area now has approximately 100 acres of vacant land available for development.

* Purchase High Speed Ferries for Black River Excursion Boat Service, Lorain Port Authority: $600,000 — Included in as part of a comprehensive, intermodal transportation system for the Lorain area including: rail, transit and waterborne phases. The overall project is the result of several years of planning and currently includes the Lorain Port Authority’s new $6.95 million Black River Landing multi-modal Transportation Center, the Lake Shore Railroad’s progression northward to the Port of Lorain, and the creation of the Lorain Heritage Trolley non-profit corporation.

* Grade Crossing Safety Device Upgrades in Elyria and Northridge, Norfolk Southern Railroad: $761,600 — Upgrade circuits controlling gates and flashing lights at six grade crossings to “constant warning time devices.” This is a “smart” device that generates a standard time delay from activation of the gates and lights until the train enters the crossing, regardless of train speed. Eliminating the variation based on train speed will improve public safety by reducing the rate of crossing accidents and the rate of associated train derailments, particularly important on this rail line due to the co-mingling of freight trains and higher speed Amtrak trains.

CUYAHOGA COUNTY

* Pearl Road, City of Strongsville: $800,000 — Improve the roadway from two lanes to four or five lanes. As a north-south connector between Cleveland and Medina, US 42 is a vital component of the region’s transportation system. Pearl Road relieves congestion on Interstate 71 and serves as a conduit for developing areas to the south and west seeking access to I-71. It is prone to frequent flooding due to the lack of proper drainage, and traffic problems due to a lack of enough through lanes.

* State Route 82, City of North Royalton: $800,000 — Reconstruct and widen Royalton Road to provide a full service roadway of five lanes through several miles of business, commercial, and industrial districts. This is the largest road project ever for the City of North Royalton. Originally constructed in 1930, Royalton Road is the primary east-west corridor in southern Cuyahoga County with major interstate interchanges located in neighboring Strongsville (I-71) and Broadview Heights (I-77). Royalton Road also serves as a primary corridor between Cuyahoga County and three neighboring counties: Lorain, Portage, and Summit.

Press Release: DESPITE OVERWHELMING OPPOSITION, CAFTA PASSES

2005-07-29T14:57:00.000-05:00

Brown Commends Bipartisan Coalition Efforts, Says CAFTA Vote Costly for White House

WASHINGTON — Congressman Sherrod Brown (D-OH) issued the following statement:
"The Central American Free Trade Agreement did not pass based on its merits. Tonight's vote was an exercise in strong-arm tactics. The bipartisan coalition opposed to CAFTA secured more votes tonight than in any trade agreement in American history.

"Unfortunately, as with past trade votes, Republican leadership held the roll open for an hour and twisted arms. With the help of Vice President Cheney and U.S. Trade Representative Portman, who lobbied for votes outside the House Chamber, this agreement crafted by a select few, for a select few narrowly passed the House.

"The administration chose to ignore the overwhelming opposition to CAFTA from business and labor groups, farmers and ranchers, faith-based groups and environmental and human rights organizations in the U.S. and Central America.

"They made so many side deals that American taxpayers will be paying for CAFTA for years to come. Tom DeLay promised so many chairmanships that he's going to have to create new committees."

Petition drive has stalled again

2005-07-29T00:11:00.000-05:00

The petition drive seems to have stalled again, at 75, thanks to everybody that has signed it and please encourage your friends, family, and anybody else to please sign it. Include the link in your diary signatures, message board signatures and email signatures to spread the word. If you still haven't signed it please do so now! RunSherrodRun.com

Netroots Support Brown

2005-07-28T13:35:00.000-05:00

Somebody posted a diary entry and poll over at DailyKos asking who would be the preferred candidate to challenge DeWine. Sherrod Brown came in first with 47% and Rep Ryan came in second with 39%

Oh and I thought Martin Sheen was from New Hampshire ...

Press Release: “Vaccines for Adults” Legislation Would Provide Access to Life Saving Vaccines

2005-07-28T13:18:00.000-05:00

WASHINGTON — Today Rep. Henry A. Waxman, Rep. Sherrod Brown, and Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard introduced legislation establishing a program to provide access to recommended vaccines for uninsured and underinsured adults. The legislation is designed to ensure that all Americans have access to life-saving, cost-effective, and recommended vaccines.

“Vaccines don’t save lives when they are sitting on a shelf,” said Rep. Waxman. “We can protect the public health and stabilize the vaccine supply by expanding access to vaccines.”

“There is no preventive measure more potent or more cost-effective than vaccination,” Rep. Brown stated. “Vaccines not only prevent individual illness, but the spread of disease. From both a public health and an economic perspective, it makes sense to expand access to them.”

“It is a tragedy that over 45,000 adults in this country die each year from infectious diseases that could have been prevented by a simple vaccine,” said Rep. Roybal-Allard. “We must do a better job reaching and protecting the approximately 40% of adults at risk for infectious diseases who are under-immunized.”

The proposed legislation would:

* Establish the Vaccines for Adults program. Modeled on the successful Vaccines for Children program, this initiative will provide access to recommended vaccines for uninsured and underinsured adults in public health clinics.

* Strengthen the Supply of the Flu Vaccine. To prevent another shortage, the legislation would expand production by authorizing a buy-back program for unsold flu vaccine.

* Support State Immunization Efforts. The bill increases funding for states to strengthen their vaccine outreach, tracking, and delivery.

* Address Vaccine Shortages. The legislation requires companies leaving the vaccine market to provide advance warning to public health officials and ensures that in the event of a vaccine shortage, public health officials can determine where available vaccine exists in their community.

In recent years, there have been shortages of several critical pediatric and adult vaccines. There are also large gaps in access. Ten states fail to provide all recommended vaccines to children, and half of all nonelderly adults in the United States lack insurance coverage for vaccination. Without government action, these problems will only grow as promising new vaccines are approved for use.

The legislation has been endorsed by the American Public Health Association. It has also been endorsed by Dr. Walter Orenstein, former Director of the National Immunization Program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Sen. Edward Kennedy and Sen. Jack Reed introduced a companion bill in the Senate.