MyDD :: OH-Sen: Ryan Leaning Against Running

OH-Sen: Ryan Leaning Against Running

by Scott Shields, Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 03:16:40 PM EST

Rep. Tim Ryan, The NRA's preferred Democrat to take on GOP Sen. Mike DeWine, told his hometown paper that while he hasn't yet made a final decision, he's probably not going to get into the race.

Ryan said Senate Democratic leaders such as Minority Leader Harry Reid, and U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, are urging him to challenge U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine, the Republican incumbent, in next year's election.

Ryan said he'll make a decision around Labor Day.

"In the Senate, you can do more," he said. "It's like this area hitting the lottery. That part is good, very good. The downside is it would be a brutal 14 months."

Two other key issues are money and giving up his current position, he said. Ryan said he'd need $12 million for the race. Also, he couldn't run for a third term to the House if he got into the Senate race.

"The difficult part is it's risky," he said. "But it's never easy to tell Schumer and Reid, 'I don't know.' They wanted me in the race last week."

Tim Ryan is a very conservative Democrat and former staffer of his predecessor, the infamous James Traficant. So in my opinion, the fact that he probably won't run isn't a disaster. Ohio Democrats are still left with two strong candidates in Sherrod Brown and -- if he decides to run -- Paul Hackett. Both are easily more progressive than Ryan.

Chris listed DeWine as the number one Democratic target in the Senate, which I'd tend to agree with. Not only is there widespread disgust with the scandal-plagued Ohio GOP, DeWine particularly has lost support of many Republicans due to his pro-gun control positions and membership in the filibuster-saving Gang of 14. I certainly wouldn't take DeWine off the list just because Ryan isn't running. Now that the field has gotten a bit smaller, I'd love to hear what Hackett's plans are.

Update: (Chris) Well, DeWine has a challenger now. Wingnut millionaire John Hirtz will challenge him in the primary.

Tags: Senate 2006 (all tags)

Permalink :: 53 Comments :: Post a Comment

Brown 2006 (3.00 / 1)

Unfortunately, Sherrod is still playing Hamlet. Schumer needs to tell him to stop dancing us around and make a decision. If we get him I think we can knock off Dewine in a close race. If we don't then Hackett looses 53-47 or 55-45 barring any further implosion of the Ohio Republicans.

by Demo Dan in Dayton on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 03:25:55 PM EST

Re: Brown 2006 (3.00 / 1)

What's the point in that kind of punditry? Ryan, Brown and Hackett would all be winners against DeWine. I hate that kind of pointless negativity.

Editor
Ohio 2nd Blog

by ignatzmouse on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 03:34:33 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Brown 2006 (none / 0)

Well I was responding to the post which says that we wont get Ryan. I would love to get Brown, I think either Ryan or Brown win in a close election. As for Hackett, I think that he isn't to the Senatorial level yet, not enough name recognition statewide. That being said, I think he also would run a good race but that we would come up short. Not trying to be negative just somewhat realistic. Lightning can strike tho so I'm hoping for a Blue Ohio 2006.
p.s. I'll be contributing to and working for whoever our nominee is just as I contributed to the OH-02 race.

by Demo Dan in Dayton on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 03:55:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Brown 2006 (none / 0)

Sorry if I'm a bit defensive but I heard just this kind of punditry about Hackett in the Ohio 2nd race. Who knows what might have happened if so many in the liberal blogosphere hadn't started off assuming that he had no change.

Editor
Ohio 2nd Blog

by ignatzmouse on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 04:17:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Brown 2006 (none / 0)

Understand being defensive. I share your belief that Hackett might have been elected with just a little more effort just a little sooner. We will never know. But we do know about those bitter words "What might have been". I am a firm believer that you do your best and fight your hardest no matter what. Win or loose, of course winning would be so much better.

by Demo Dan in Dayton on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 04:26:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Brown 2006 (none / 0)

Oh, if just once I heard from a Kos or someone else talking about how wrong they were about Hackett when they get called up for interviews about the race or when they sit on panels.

Triumph of the blogosphere... triumph of what might have been more like it.

Editor
Ohio 2nd Blog

by ignatzmouse on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 04:33:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Whoa, whoa, whoa (3.00 / 4)

Come on, that ain't quite fair. Now, granted Ryan is offically pro-life (though also pro - Roe v Wade - he still got a 35% approval rating from NARAL), and pro-guns, he's not anywhere "very conservative." The ADA gave him an 80% approval rating, and the National Journal said he is more liberal than 83% of Congressmen on Economic issues (more liberal than John Dingell, Patrick Kennedy, Barbara Boxer, to say a few), and more liberal than 83% on foreign policy issue (more liberal than Barabra Boxer and Sherrod Brown, for example). He also got a 100% approval rating from Americans for the Arts, a 35% from the Chamber of Commerce, a 70% from the ACLU, 90% from the NAACP, 95% from the NEA, 100% from the League of Conservation Voters, and the list goes on. If this guy is "very conservative," who needs liberals? (all of this is from vote-smart.org)

by FDRDem on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 05:11:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Someone Please Throw your hat in the ring... (none / 0)

I'm itching to get rid of Sen. DeWine... all we need here is a Democrat to speak up and make a run. It's hard to volunteer when there isn't a candidate.

by T Dubya Ault on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 03:39:08 PM EST

We need to get SOMEONE in the race (none / 0)

What are Brown and Ryan afraid of, winning? If they won't get in, we've got to get Hackett to run. DeWine is just too vulnerable to give a free pass. If we give him a free pass, we deserve to be in the minority.

by dole4pineapple on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 04:19:28 PM EST

Brown/Hackett best chance. (none / 0)

if Ryan is out that that leaves Brown and Hackett honestly i would support Hackett he has National attention and is a very good speaker.

Running the Davis, Nelson Klein team in Florida.

by Liberal on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 04:25:14 PM EST

Re: Brown/Hackett best chance. (none / 0)

Hackett has the hot hand. Brown has the $$$$ and the infrastructure. Tough call.

I'm partial to Hackett but I'm very biased.

Editor
Ohio 2nd Blog

by ignatzmouse on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 04:35:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Is Tim Ryan really that conservative? (3.00 / 1)

Voteview has him smack in the middle, right next to Joe Hoeffel.

Your own Congressional Loyalty Scorecard has him as opposing 6 bills of interest out of 8 (don't know how he voted on the Stem Cell bill. That puts him slightly to the right of center within the Democratic Party. I think it's a bit much to label him as very conservative.

by niq on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 04:48:23 PM EST

Re: Is Tim Ryan really that conservative? (none / 0)

Isn't he anti choice? That would make him VERY conservative in my book.

Editor
Ohio 2nd Blog

by ignatzmouse on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 04:50:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Is Tim Ryan really that conservative? (1.50 / 2)

Is he?

Looking at VoteSmart's Liberalism Ranking for Tim Ryan:

Liberal
2004 Representative Ryan supported the interests of the Americans for Democratic Action 80 percent in 2004.
2004 Representative Ryan supported the interests of the U.S. Public Interest Research Group 100 percent in 2004.
2004 On the votes that the State PIRGs Working Together considered to be the most important in 2004, Representative Ryan voted their preferred position 100 percent of the time.

Compare that to VoteSmart's Conservativism Ranking for Tim Ryan:

Conservative
Summer 03 Representative Ryan supported the interests of the Conservative Index - The John Birch Society 25 percent in Summer 03.

There's more to the world than Abortion, contrary to what Dobson has most of the right and even some of us thinking.

http://blog.ryanvdewine.com - I Almost Pity DeWine

by RosenKnight on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 05:27:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Agree (none / 0)

He is normal "old school liberal" - very liberal on almost all economic issues, but pro-life and pro-gun. Which is very typical of his consistuency... I honestly think, that some liberals in party went slightly insane: for them being pro-life automatically means that you are Bill Frist..

by smmsmm on Wed Aug 17, 2005 at 01:19:32 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Agree (none / 0)

for them being pro-life automatically means that you are Bill Frist..

Ten dollars says Dobson disagrees that Bill Frist is pro-life. They're more eager to purge the non-monotone thinkers from their side than we are!

You are right about the economic v. social liberalism issue. It is a huge debate within our party. But the truth is, what really matters? Is it trying to ban guns to stop gun violence? Or trying to treat poverty and help the Americans that fail to succeed because some fat cat stole their money?

In my opinion, solving the economic disparity is key to dealing with both gun violence and abortions. I have more than a little disgust that some on the right make it their #1 issue. But I also have little patience for those of us on the left who forget that America has bigger problems on our table right now and for one reason or another continue to use abortion as the defining characteristic of liberal v. conservative.

http://blog.ryanvdewine.com - I Almost Pity DeWine

by RosenKnight on Wed Aug 17, 2005 at 01:27:40 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Is Tim Ryan really that conservative? (3.00 / 3)

He did have that absolutely awesome rant on the floor of the US House where he very passionately said that he doesn't understand how people are expected to believe Bush when he says there won't be a draft since he's lied about everything else.

In case you didn't see it, you MUST see this video:
http://www.blogpac.org/ohio_bush_draft

So I guess, if he is conservative, which I don't know if he is since I know almost nothing about him, he's at the very least sane and willing to call bullshit when he sees it.

Rudy Giuliani hates firefighters. And puppies.

by Fran for Dean on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 04:56:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I was going to ask if this was THAT Ryan (3.00 / 1)

That was a cool rant. That's the type of passion we need on our side.

by Geotpf on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 05:20:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Justify That (1.50 / 2)

Tim Ryan is a very conservative Democrat and former staffer of his predecessor, the infamous James Traficant. So in my opinion, the fact that he probably won't run isn't a disaster. Ohio Democrats are still left with two strong candidates in Sherrod Brown and -- if he decides to run -- Paul Hackett. Both are easily more progressive than Ryan.

Justify that with evidence.

And please don't say "guns and abortion", the two issues that Republicans have so effectively used to define and defeat us.

http://blog.ryanvdewine.com - I Almost Pity DeWine

by RosenKnight on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 05:19:03 PM EST

Ryan from Cleavland area (3.00 / 1)

Although he is pro-gun, it's not helpful. Brown is from Dayton, so he has a slight advantage. I love both but they need to either step up or go home.

John McCain wants to stay in Iraq for a century.

by jkfp2004 on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 05:24:13 PM EST

Re: Ryan from Cleavland area (3.00 / 1)

Brown isn't from down here, he's a NE Ohio boy too. But I agree, he needs to step up or shut up.

by Demo Dan in Dayton on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 05:32:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Ryan from Cleavland area (3.00 / 1)

Is Dayton considered NE or just North.

John McCain wants to stay in Iraq for a century.

by jkfp2004 on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 05:56:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Ryan from Cleavland area (3.00 / 1)

Neither Dayton is in SW Ohio near Cincinnati

by Demo Dan in Dayton on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 06:00:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Ryan from Cleavland area (2.00 / 2)

Scratch that

Brown represents Akron, not Dayton. You're right Dayton is SW OH and Akron is NE.

John McCain wants to stay in Iraq for a century.

by jkfp2004 on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 08:42:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: sorry this is long... (3.00 / 2)

damn, forgot to mention Congressman Ryan also was one of the very first members of the House to endorse Howard Dean's candidacy for President...

by Ohio2006 on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 06:33:23 PM EST

Re: sorry this is long... (3.00 / 1)

The second is history. Everyone since 1970 in Ohio has lost when they first tried for Senate. The recent history is fairly well known, but even the legendary Ohio democrats lost at first. Metzenbaum ran in 70, defeating Glenn in the primary. He went on to lose in the general to Taft. He was then appointed in 74 when Saxbe resigned to become U.S. Attorney. However, Metzenbaum and Glenn fought a primary rematch, this time Glenn won and went on to win the general. Metzenbaum then won when Taft came up again. He also beat Voinvovich in 88 before he became Governor. So everyone lost once.
The third is timing. In 2010 there will be an open senate seat as it appears very unlikely Voinovich will run again. That seat will be followed with another possible open seat as well as every statewide office. As both Ryan and Brown would have to give up their congressional seats, they'd be out of politics for a long four years if they don't win this time.

If you have to lose once to win, now seems a rather opportunte time.

Seriously, though, amazingly thorough and well-written.

http://blog.ryanvdewine.com - I Almost Pity DeWine

by RosenKnight on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 06:33:37 PM EST

Re: sorry this is long... (none / 0)

Seriously, though, amazingly thorough and well-written.

Thanks and same goes to the Ryan V Dewine blog!

by Ohio2006 on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 06:43:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Obviously he's a total wuss (2.00 / 2)

QUOTE: "The difficult part is it's risky," he said.

No shit, genius. I can't imagine a more reassuring thing to hear from my potential leaders than THAT gem right there.

by jcjcjc on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 07:11:19 PM EST

Re: Obviously he's a total wuss (2.00 / 2)

And you have risked your own job by doing what?

by mrgavel on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 07:14:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Thanks for the opening (1.00 / 1)

Nothing like being talked down to by someone who has posted here exactly three times.

I lost an editorial job at a newspaper for pushing anti-Bush news off the wire and into the pages. (Interesting the subject has now arisen twice in the same week . . . hm.)

Watch your ass before you make a dipshit comment like that one in the future.

by jcjcjc on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 07:22:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Now I eat crow (1.00 / 1)

I guess I was looking at the convincing rating of the person who rated you up.

77 . . . much more convincing.

by jcjcjc on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 07:24:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Thanks for the opening (3.00 / 1)

That's okay. I took a shot and you returned a shot, which is certainly your right and if I can't take what I dish out, then I am wuss. What provoked my comment was that people sometimes forget that for a guy like Ryan to risk a sure thing doing a job he enjoys to run for the Senate is a big step. Anyone who hasn't run for office has no idea what it is like. Running statewide in Ohio against DeWine won't be easy. Republicans in this state are well organized and we are not. I do believe, however, that DeWine can be beat.

by mrgavel on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 09:56:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]

It's not HIS job (none / 0)

No one has an unmitigated right to a political office. To act like it's he risks losing his job -- a phrase that should be reserved for folks who don't raise money in order to get trhe job in the first place, a phrase that entails the worst for working families -- is insulting.

It is sick as hell. It is a sign of gutlessness -- the kind of gutlessness that proves the guy shouldn't be a leader.

BTW -- are you using two IDs, because this RosenKnight sure seems to keep rating you up.

by jcjcjc on Wed Aug 17, 2005 at 12:49:05 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: It's not HIS job (none / 0)

Nope. I just appreciated that he was standing up when nobody else, myself included, bothered to respond to what you said.

I quite honestly have no idea how this rating system works. I've been a long time reader of MyDD, but this is the first time that I've been persuaded to leave the "silent majority" and jump into the fray.

I also rated up the http://www.mydd.com/comments/2005/8/16/151640/397/17#17 thread, because I found it amusing and fairly enlightening for those who don't know their way around Ohio.

Being too lazy to check it out right now, I'm just going to assume that I'll run out of rating points sometime in the near future. Until then, there seems nothing wrong with rating up a post that you either agree with or appreciate (and no, those are not the same).

http://blog.ryanvdewine.com - I Almost Pity DeWine

by RosenKnight on Wed Aug 17, 2005 at 01:04:18 AM EST
[ Parent ]

If you don't understand it (none / 0)

Don't use it.

by jcjcjc on Wed Aug 17, 2005 at 01:11:19 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: It's not HIS job (none / 0)

I only have one ID on this blog and that is the one that I am using. I do not know who these other people are but they are not me. They all seem, however, to be interested in Ohio politics, as I am and you obviously are.

by mrgavel on Wed Aug 17, 2005 at 07:27:08 AM EST
[ Parent ]

I'm feeling trollish (1.00 / 1)

Who the fuck in their right mind would openly call themselves a "yellow dog" Dem?

by jcjcjc on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 07:26:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm feeling trollish (3.00 / 1)

me.

John McCain wants to stay in Iraq for a century.

by jkfp2004 on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 08:40:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm feeling trollish (3.00 / 1)

yellow dog dem is a texas expression as in "I would vote for a yellow dog if it ran as a Democrat." Of course that was before Texas turned GOP.

by mrgavel on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 09:52:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Yellow Dog Dem = GOPer in denial (3.00 / 1)

The modern meaning of that phrase is abundantly clear. A Yellow Dog Dem is some schmuck like our crazy uncle from Georgia, Zell Miller.

Even the conservative-to-moderate Dems have tried to distance themselves from the terms. Hence, the Blue Dog Coalition.

Yellow Dog Dem just doesn't elicit a lot of sympathy or interest.

by jcjcjc on Wed Aug 17, 2005 at 12:57:04 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Yellow Dog Dem = GOPer in denial (none / 0)

That may or may not be, but it is a phrase I picked up from my Mom and I use it because I like it. On this as on Congressman Ryan's statement we apparently disagree.

by mrgavel on Wed Aug 17, 2005 at 07:31:39 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Why Liberals Should Want Guns (none / 0)

When I saw the movie Hotel Rawanda, my whole take on owning guns shifted. There is absolutely no doubt that the massacre in Rawanda was aided by the fact that one group had machetes and the other group didn't have weapons. I don't know about you, but if the right wing gets any stronger in America, I want a gun for my own protection and for the protection of my family.

by mrgavel on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 07:13:32 PM EST

Re: Why Liberals Should Want Guns (1.50 / 2)

Right Wing owns the President.
President owns the US Military.
US Military owns Nukes and Bombers.

Therefore,
The Right Wing owns Nukes and Bombers.

Machetes and guns won't make a difference if the Right Wing goes any nuttier.

http://blog.ryanvdewine.com - I Almost Pity DeWine

by RosenKnight on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 07:45:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Why Liberals Should Want Guns (none / 0)

In Rawanda it wasn't the security forces who killed civilans, it was organized groups of other civilans who weren't stopped by the security forces. If they had been shot when they tried to drag people out of their homes, there might not have been a massacre.

by mrgavel on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 09:50:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Reid Has No Credibility (none / 0)

to try to get anyone to risk a safe congressional seat in order to run for the Senate considering his deal with Ensign, which can only be explained as Reid trying to protect his own political ass.

I know that Reid is still pretty popular here, but I dont like him at all. He literally "talks" a good game but there is NEVER any follow through.

As for Ryan, we have gone round and round about the Dems supporting anti-choice candidates. As I have said probably 1000 times, I am very much pro-choice but an happy to support an anti choice candidate if he/she will beat another anti-choice candidate.

Andy Katz

by Andy Katz on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 08:51:08 PM EST

Re: Reid Has No Credibility (1.50 / 2)

I'm not certain that I agree about Reid. I remain unconvinced that he is without a doubt planning to run for Senate again in 2010. And even then, I don't believe that Ensign has enough power to even pretend that he could return the favor.

I think it is Reid either trying to be bring back Senate civility, or trying to put a Republican in his debt for a later occassion.

I certainly hope it is the latter, of course.

But IMHO (In My Honest Opinion), I think Reid is just doing it to be, well, nice. I wish it weren't the case, because Cleland is a nice enough guy that I doubt a single person in the Senate was at odds with him, and look how that turned out.

No, sometimes we Dems play nice for no other reasons than that we have hearts.

Which is why I hope Schumer is ignoring Reid on this and plowing full ahead to take Ensign out.

http://blog.ryanvdewine.com - I Almost Pity DeWine

by RosenKnight on Tue Aug 16, 2005 at 10:00:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I'm not amused. (none / 0)

I see at least three, possibly four IDs, two of them very new and the third fairly low in comments, all cross posting and rating each other up left and right.

Let's see . . . RosenKnight, Ohio 2006 are both so new it's priceless.

Mrgavel . . . wow. What a nice club!

Also, the speed with which you guys are cross-posting is very suspect. Especially at this hour. It's very interesting that at a dreadfully slow time on MyDD, apparently 20% of the entire population of the state of Ohio is presently posting.

by jcjcjc on Wed Aug 17, 2005 at 01:09:51 AM EST

Tim Ryan very conservative? (none / 0)

According to progressive punch Ryan is the 80th most progressive member.

I can understand why some would think Ryan is very conservative given the Traficante connection as he was truly a DINO.

Councilman Bill Painter

by Painter2004 on Wed Aug 17, 2005 at 01:32:49 AM EST

Re: Tim Ryan very conservative? (none / 0)

Traficant was a DINO and a wingnut all rolled up into a certifiably insane, yet also entertaining, package. I say this as a constituent who has spent roughly 17 of his 20 years on this planet as a constituent of this clown. Wonder what he looks like w/o that hideous wig.

As for Brown/Ryan/Hackett, I'd support any one of them. all they need to do is ANNOUNCE!

by corran horn on Wed Aug 17, 2005 at 05:54:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm not amused. (none / 0)

jcjcjc:

Check the times of postings. I can't type that fast, and have other things on my hands to deal with. I have no idea who Ohio2006 is.

However, if you are trying to build conspiracy theories, check out how I started a fund with exactly the same name (http://actblue.com/list/Ohio2006) to take back Ohio. I'm actually more confused than you are right now.

Seriously, though, just because somebody doesn't agree with you doesn't mean that they are part of a conspiracy and are out to get you. I got into a conversation about coincidence the other day, with my friend succinctly pointing out that those who disbelieve in coincidence have a tendency to believe in Jesus.

Ohio2006: There is something I'd like to tell you. Email me ASAP.

http://blog.ryanvdewine.com - I Almost Pity DeWine

by RosenKnight on Wed Aug 17, 2005 at 01:40:39 AM EST

Re: sorry this is long... (none / 0)

Very good comment, you should make this a diary. We're far too quick to label someone "liberal" or "conservative" based on one or two issues.

by dantheman on Wed Aug 17, 2005 at 11:15:27 AM EST

Ryan (none / 0)

I agree that Ryan cannot be considered a "conservative" Democrat, and certainly not a very conservative Democrat, but why would voting to repeal the estate tax be popular in a blue-collar district?

by Paleo on Wed Aug 17, 2005 at 02:46:58 PM EST

eh isn't brown out now... (none / 0)

That leaves Ryan and Hackett i stick with Hackett for the time being either would make a fine senator though.

Running the Davis, Nelson Klein team in Florida.

by Liberal on Fri Aug 19, 2005 at 05:21:10 PM EST

You are not logged in.

In order to post a comment, you must be logged in. If you have a member account, please log in to comment.

If not, you can make an account right here. It's quick and free.