The Ohio Right to Life Pac candidate endorsements mostly align with endorsements by the Ohio Republican Party. This is not surprising since Republicans tend to favor pro-life issues, and Democrats support pro-abortion.
Why is an Ohio RTL Pac endorsement of any importance? The Pac claims because it makes a difference to about half (maybe more) of the voting population. The Pac provides user-friendly access to information about the candidate experience, views and voting record on abortion and pro-life issues. Beyond that, RTL’s endorsement of pro-life candidates assists voters identify those who will likely honor their oath of office by upholding the constitutionally protected right to life.
With that in mind, let’s see who those candidates are.
STATE
Jarrod Martin, who seeks a second term in the 70th Ohio House District, received the Ohio RTL Pac stamp of approval. Tea Partiers seem to like him as well as the Ohio GOP. His campaign website is at www.electjarrod.com
U.S. Representative John Kasich has the Ohio RTL Pac’s 100% pro-life endorsement. He is not only favored by the GOP but also by Tea Party members and many of the who’s who is local and state politics. His campaign website is at www.kasichforohio.com
Jon Husted, Speaker of the Ohio House of Representative and native of Dayton, is running for Secretary of State. He has also received the Ohio RTL Pac 100% pro-life stamp of approval. But, I recently received information from a friend who lives in northern Ohio that casts some doubt about Husted’s support of both pro-life and pro-faith causes, which I will cover later. His campaign website address is www.hustedforohio.com
Mike DeWine is no stranger to local politics. He is local lawyer, previous County Prosecutor, state representative, senator, and U.S. Congressman. He is running for Ohio Attorney General with GOP approval and the Ohio RTL Pac’s 100% pro-life endorsement. His campaign website is at www.mikedewine.com
State Representative Josh Mandel is another dynamic young politician with the Ohio RTL Pac’s 100% pro-life stamp of approval along with the GOP and Tea Party endorsements. His campaign website is at www.joshmandel.com
I’m not 100% certain but I think Ohio only allows one Auditor of State. However, Ohio RTL Pac as well as the Ohio GOP endorses two. They are David Yost and Seth Morgan.
David Yost is among the select few picked by the Ohio GOP. His repertoire includes his current position of Delaware County Prosecutor and the previously held position of county auditor. Posted on his blog is an endorsement by the Darke County Tea Party as well as the most of the big press and entrenched GOP politicians. Yost’s campaign website address is www.davidyost.com
Ohio Representative Seth Morgan is among select few running for accounting position of State Auditor who actually is actually a certified public accountant (CPA), which should be one of the requirements for holding that office. Just ask Mary Taylor. The Huber Heights native currently serves as Secretary of Finance and Appropriations Committee, Finance and Appropriations Subcommittee on Primary and Secondary Education, Ways and Means Committee, and as Chair of the House Republican Caucus Policy Committee, among others. Every where I look, Morgan is receiving honorable mentions and endorsements from the Associated Builders and Contractors to the Citizens for Community Values, not to mention the Ohio Tea Party. His campaign website is at www.sethmorgan.org
NATIONAL
U.S. Representative Steve Austria is running for the 7th Ohio Congressional District for a second term, He has received the distinction by the Ohio RTL Pac as a 100% pro-life candidate. Austria not only a Beavercreek native but is favored by the GOP as well. The Tea Parties I have attended Austria has not been among the favored representatives or candidates.
Robert Portman is running for U.S. Senate with the endorsement of the Ohio RTL Pac. He has effectively served as Director of the Office of Management and Budget, U.S. Trade Representative, and as U.S. Congressman for 12 years. Although favored by GOP leaders, Portman has not been favorable received by some Ohio Tea Party groups, according to reports. His campaign website address is www.robportman.com
As mentioned earlier, an added benefit of the above candidate list is their GOP endorsements. The Ohio GOP stamp of approval tells us that the Party regards those members as the most qualified, the most charismatic, and/or the most faithful to party policies.
It should be remembered that the Democratic Party also chooses its candidates on the same basis. As pointed out during the last national election by Dennis Kucinich, one of the most important factors to Party endorsement is faithfulness to the pledge. Here, the pledge is not to the Ohio or U.S. Constitutions, dear comrades, but to the Party.
The above-mentioned qualities that are required by both Parties are also the same characteristics of career politicians, which in turn is part of the ever-increasing problem produced by party politics. As evidenced by the current regime of Democrats, progressive regression back to the Revolution era issues of big government social and economic tyranny is a serious problem that came in the name of change. Liberals claim the same thing happened when the GOP was in charge.
That is why the other non-career track candidates are worth considering. Some of them promise to defend the right to life as well as other conservative issues of constitutional importance.
One such candidate is Lt. Col John Michel (Ret.) who is running against incumbent Rep. Steve Austria for Ohio’s 7th Congressional District. Michel is definitely a pro-life candidate. He believes “the Constitution protects human life from conception to natural death.” His position on most other important issues like the economy, health care, immigration, war on terror, and the like reveals a well-reasoned and articulated conservatism, which is another reason to put him into office. His views on the issues can be read by going to his website at www.reformcongress.com
Sandra O’Brien is running against Jon Husted for Secretary of State. She is definitely a consist defender of the right to life and liberty. She is a member of the Ohio Farm Bureau, a veteran schoolteacher, past county auditor, and current adjunct professor at Leland Community College. In 2006, she defeated her pro-abortion opponent in the Republican primary for Auditor of State. Jon Husted supported her pro-abortion opponent, which demonstrates his wavering commitment to the constitutional issue of the right to life. Moreover, my friend from the North also pointed me to letter by Diana Fessler addressed to the Ohio Liberty Council in which tells how Husted lying to the public about his saving prayer in the House. While Speaker of the House, Husted attempted to forbid the mention of Jesus’ name in all prayers offered at the opening session of the Ohio House. It was she who saved prayer with the help of the Alliance Defense Fund litigators. Fessler assures us that Sandra O’Brien is the real conservative candidate for Auditor of State. O’Brien’s campaign website is at ohio.sandraobrien.com