Monday, February 3, 2014

Statehouse primaries begin


Dear fellow tax hikers, we hope everyone is enjoying our Global Warming Winter.  We have been busy digging out of our igloo and unable to update our blog, but now we're back for the duration of the 2014 primary season!

First up is an overview from the Enquirer of the primaries for Ohio State Representative and State Senator.  We are enormously pleased that one of our best friends, Blue Ash Councilman Rick Bryan, is running for State Representative to win the seat that 2008 Tax Hiker of the Year Virgil Lovitt couldn't.

Tax Hikin' Rick Bryan has done a great job raising taxes on Blue Ash citizens and workers, but if he gets to Columbus he can raise taxes on a whole new level.  He has already proven he's up to the task, as evidenced by being named our 2011 Tax Hiker of the Year.

This is just the beginning.  Over the next three months we'll have plenty to say about Tax Hikin' Rick Bryan and lots of other great tax hikers. 

25 comments:

Col. AWOL said...

Is it true that Rick Bryan skipped the first Blue Ash Council Meeting of the year to appear at a campaign event? That doesn't say much for his sense of responsibility.

Safety First said...

Democrat Connie Pillich represents the most Republican district in Columbus that is held by a Democrat. That's because the Republicans have run a Tea Party nut job in the past two elections. It's a good thing we have sensible, reasonable, moderate leadership in Rick Bryan to turn to this time. All the people scared off by the Tea Party crazies will embrace Rick Bryan.

Stache for Representative said...

Someone needs to carry the tax hiking mustache mantle statewide now that Todd Portune has dropped his race. Fear the 'stache!

Devers Musings said...

The many days I have lived in this district has taught me we need someone to represent our interests in Columbus.

Facts Matter said...

Safety first is the typical gullible moderate moron. Some out of touch RINO told her this at a NEHCRC meeting, so it must be true.

FACT - Rick took only 52% of the vote in his last contested election in heavily Republican Blue Ash. That means he underperformed the failed Romney/Ryan ticket by 7%. He underperformed the barely winning Kasich/Taylor ticket by 13%.

Ready for the kicker? That crazy Tea Party candidate, Mike Wilson, that you say ruined the GOP's chances - he outperformed Rick Bryan in Blue Ash by 6%. Yes, the citizens of Blue Ash, the people that know Rick Bryan best, preferred a crazy right wing tea party candidate by over 6%.

And that, folks, is why we will continue to lose this seat. Dumbasses like Safety First make sure of it.

Jonathon from the district said...

Thank you Jamie Schwarts and company for teaching me how to fool people into thinking I am really conservative. You guys are the best.

I never would have guessed that you could redefine its meaning and leave out all that messy social stuff.

Hypocrisy Watch said...

So, Rick Bryan wants to make some issues out of Jonathan's alleged lack of residency in this campaign? Then why is his most prominent supporter Bob McEwen of Virginia, who still lives there despite his decades of ludicrous claims of Ohio residency and the extraordinary lengths he has gone to in order to conceal that fact???? PS- Rick better hope that Bob's checks clear, too.

Blue Ash Bomber said...

Just did the work the Enquirer refused to do and checked out the campaign finance report on Secretary of State Jon Husted's website. Folks, this race isn't even going to be close. Rick Bryan has a commanding lead in fund-raising and in cash on hand. Rick also has a commanding lead in endorsements and a significant lead in supporters among the rank and file across the district. That's the kind of network of support you can develop over years of fostering positive working relationships with businesses, elected officials, and community leaders, when you happen to be a businessman, elected official and community leader like Rick Bryan is.

Dever is just gumming up the works and pandering to the Tea Party base that has lost all credibility in the 28th House District. Go back to West Chester, Jonathan.

my taxes are too damn low said...

I wish I had to pay a lot more in taxes, but I can't blame Rick Bryan. Rick has done a fantastic job raising all kinds of our taxes. He is one of my favorite elected officials and I can't wait to support him again.

Rocky the Squirrel said...

Are we talking about the same Rick Bryan that helped Mark Mallory fund his streetcar? Why, yes I think we are.

Princess Margaret said...

I am sooo excited about this campaign! There will be so many opportunities to go to fancy political events and show everyone just how wonderful and important I am. The best part is that there are no fat, smelly, disgusting, inbred west siders in the 28th district anymore!

Casual Observer said...

Facts Matter (aka the auther of this blog)... Why are you obsessed with the NEHCRC? Last time I checked their event is attended by tea partiers, conservatives and moderates. I was at a breakfast last year and Rand Paul was the speaker. Stop throwing bombs and your points would come across better.

Old Man River said...

The underlying theme of the Rick Bryan campaign:

- Rick Bryan is ENTITLED to this seat because he's old and been around forever.

Yeah he's been around 80 years and has sat on Blue Ash Council since the Kennedy Administration. Nobody cares. All that seniority and experience led to him nearly losing his seat twice in the last 5 years despite running in a Ward that Kasich and McCain won by 20 points. Those who know Rick the best seem to like him the least.

If we need a State Rep who raises taxes, builds streetcars, and doesn't listen to a word anyone has to say, you might as well support Micah Kamrass. Though given Rick's underperforming the R vote, if he is the nominee Micah will beat him anyways regardless of how this blog's readership would vote in that awful matchup.

Bob Bedinghaus said...

I appreciate Rick Bryan standing up for me and the excellent work I did on the stadiums. He and I have a lot in common.

Wreck of the Jonathan Dever said...

Just like the Democrats' nominee for Governor, Shipwreck Edward FitzGerald, Jonathan Dever had to include his January 2014 contributions on his latest campaign finance report to make his numbers look less horrible than they truly are. Just like Ed, Dever's January contributions were surprisingly large and surprisingly close to the end of the month, a sure sign of desperation by Team Dever. I guess that move into the 28th House District and those "professional" consultants took a lot out of Jonathan during crucial fund-raising periods.

Virg the Scourge's Ghost said...

Todd Portune owes me for all the support I gave him. Mark Mallory owes Rick for all of the support they gave the streetcar in Blue Ash. Maybe a "Democrats for Rick Bryan" committee can be formed in order to show what great bi-partisan support Rick has. Hmmmm.... let's wait until AFTER we dispose of this Tea Party interloper in the primary. No sense in getting those Krazy Kooks at KOAST all riled up, if you know what I mean, and I think you do.

Jon Husted said...

I'd appreciate it if Rick Bryan would file his campaign finance report!

The Former Future Mrs Blessing said...

Hi guys I hope you can support me in my campaign for Juvenile Court Judge. If my good friend Tracie Hunter can defeat the Republican Establishment, than so can I.

Citizens for Tom Weidman said...

I hope the world notices that we gave $5000 to Jonathan Dever. With our good friends Virgil Lovitt, Jean Schmidt and Simon Leis no longer in elective office and with our really good friend Bill Seitz in his last term, we had a lot of cash sitting around and had to do something with it.

Republican Leaders in ORP and RNC said...

If Rick Bryan wins the primary, we expect all those mean, awful, nasty, hateful, bigoted, backwards conservatives to fall in line and support him in the general election against the Democrat.

If Jonathan Dever wins the primary, we expect most regular Republicans will have Kamrass signs in their yards.

28th District voter said...

Those who know Rick Bryan the most like him the least. That's why seasoned Sycamore Township Trustee Tom Weidman supports Dever and gave him $5000.

Weidman, like the rest of us who know Rick Bryan well, know that Dever is the conservative candidate and won't drop the seat to the kid running on the Democratic side. Bryan can barely get re-elected in his strongly Republican Ward, so how can he win in a much more competitive district?

COAST is TOAST said...

Dave Yost endorsed Rick Bryan. As we all know, Yost doesn't like phony people.

State Legislative Trainee Billy Blessing said...

I can't wait to show the neophyte the ropes in Columbus. Which fund-raisers are good, which lobbyists have the biggest expense accounts, and which parks to avoid at night.

Springdale Cleaner said...

Say, whatever happened to that campaign expert Matheny lady? How is she missing out on this big race?

Yost's Ghosts said...

Dave Yost is a god damn joke of a politician. Now that it's abundantly clear to me that his fiscal conservatism stance is just an act, I no longer feel obligated to give him my vote. Sorry Mister Auditor. It's been nice knowing ya.