is $245,000. Keep that in mind when if you are unlucky enough to receive an Ohio GOP fundraising email.

Why? Because Ken Blackwell has the most Facebook friends.

He leaves Anuzis, Dawson, Saltsman, and Steele eating his Web 2.0 dust.

In the Sunday Dispatch, the Home section noted that Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner and her husband Rick bought a new condo 194 E. Gay St. (Columbus, OH, 43215) for $678,750.

That seemed like an awfully high price compared to how much their neighbors paid, but a quick search of the auditors office’s website shows they also bought 200 E. Gay Street. The Brunner’s are so well off that they bought 2 CONDOS and had them combined into one! Apparently, this comes with 4.5 bathrooms, 2 kitchens, et cetera.

I thought the Democrat Party was supposed to be the party of the common man, the poor, the downtrodden, and the losers in life’s lottery? Apperantly, Jennifer didn’t get that memo. And no matter how bad Ohio’s economy becomes, it is clear that state bureaucrats, especially Secretary Brunner, will always be well insulated.

From The Hill:

[Ken Blackwell] becomes the ninth serious candidate actively in or considering the race, with a tenth leaning away from running. But while his entrance will scramble other candidates’ political calculus, it makes life the most difficult for one candidate in particular, former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele.

Blackwell and Steele have more in common than simply being prominent Republican African Americans. Both are constant presences on the cable news circuit and show up frequently on Fox News.

And both men are former officeholders who can claim personal electoral experience that other candidates lack. They are also big draws on the fundraising circuit, which gives them valuable favors to call in from those they’ve helped in the past.

But the biggest difference between the two is that Blackwell is a hard-core conservative, while Steele is seen as much more moderate. And that could seriously harm Steele’s chances among a body of 168 elected Republican committee members.

When the liberal MSM calls someone “moderate”, that almost always means the person in question isn’t vigorously opposed to killing unborn children. In this case, that theory is correct.

I might have been wrong, now that I see Ken Blackwell is launching a serious campaign for RNC Chairman. At this point, the only direction the party can go is up, so why not elect the only movement conservative running things?

Or, at the very least, what a wonderful way to mess with squishy Michael Steele!

Here it is:

http://www.blackwell2009.com/

After prayerful consideration, I have decided to become a candidate for Chairman of the Republican National Committee. I write today to ask for your vote and endorsement.

I will be attempting to reach you by telephone to personally ask for your support. Meanwhile, please allow me to introduce myself and present my qualifications and philosophy.

I reside in Cincinnati, Ohio, where I formerly served as a council member and mayor.  Afterwards, I ran four times for statewide office in Ohio. I was elected as State Treasurer once and Secretary of State twice … and lost a race for Governor. Including primaries, I have run for public office 17 times, winning on 13 of those occasions.

I am a fiscally and socially conservative author and activist, having served in the past as a fellow at The Heritage Foundation and currently for Family Research Council, and as Vice Chairman of the 2008 Republican National Convention Platform Committee.  I am a member of the board of directors of the National Rifle Association, the National Taxpayers Union and the Club for Growth. I am a contributing editor for Townhall.com and former contributing editor for the New York Sun. My columns have frequently appeared in the Washington Times, the New York Post and National Review Online, among other publications. I have been a frequent guest on Fox News, CNN, MSNBC and network news programs. In 2000, I was honored to serve as the national General Chairman of Steve Forbes’ presidential campaign.

I offer an extensive background in fundraising, business and financial matters. During my 2006 gubernatorial campaign, I raised $12 million, much of it one call at a time. I was an investor/founding partner in a successful company that owned 20 radio stations. And I even own a small part of the Cincinnati Reds.

As you may be aware, I have taken some controversial stands in Ohio through the years.  I vocally opposed tax increases offered by a Republican Governor and helped to successfully lead the fight to amend the Ohio Constitution to ban government recognition of same-sex marriages. The Marriage Amendment passed with 61% of the vote, despite opposition from many of Ohio’s leading Republicans. Along the way, I’ve made some Ohio Republicans angry, but I’ve always tried to take the side of less government and more freedom.

I’ve survived interviews with Keith Olbermann, testified before Congress, prevented voter fraud from overturning the results of a U.S. presidential election and fought the left in federal court more times than you can imagine. I have been tried and tested, though I’ll admit that I’ve never been called “mavericky” by Tina Faye.

My wife, Rosa, and I married in 1968 while I attended Xavier University on a football scholarship.  I’m proud to report that 40 years later … she’s still my sweetheart. We have three adult children.  Rosa has put up with politics and me for all of these years. And I’m proud to report that I’ve gotten clearance from Rosa for one more vital mission.

In the aftermath of the November 2008 elections, I began closely watching the election for RNC chairman and have given this race careful consideration.

So here I am, appealing to you for your vote, and I am ready to earn it.

I am a strong believer in formality, good manners … mutual respect. But for the next few weeks, I am going to be very direct and blunt. The RNC needs a more basic and more comprehensive change of course than my competitors have thus far presented or, frankly, envisioned.

It is time to completely remake the Republican Party by returning to our core philosophy (limited government, traditional values and a strong defense), reaching voters more effectively (by better utilization of technology, targeting and voter identification and turnout), and reorganizing the RNC itself (spending smarter, replacing staff and consultants and modernizing our fundraising infrastructure).

In short, the old promise that you’ve received from candidates for chairman every two years that you will have “more input” … just isn’t going to cut it anymore. You must demand specifics.

At a time when the Republican National Committee needs comprehensive reorganization and a completely new direction, all of the announced candidates for Chairman have basically proposed continuing the status quo with a few cosmetic changes.

In fact, the only serious and thoughtful effort to overhaul our broken system has come from a gentleman who is not even running for chairman, Virginia National Committeeman Morton Blackwell. Morton sent each candidate for chairman a survey asking 37 tough questions. I have included a link at the bottom of this letter for your viewing pleasure. (I should clarify that Morton and I are not related and that he has not endorsed any candidate for chairman.)

Each candidate for chairman has emphasized the importance of technology. And technology is important … but we need to use technology in the right ways.  We need to use technology to identify voters, energize the base, and communicate with younger voters in the venues where they want to communicate.

We also need substantive changes in the way the RNC operates.

I will be proposing an “RNC Conservative Resurgence Plan” that will be a dramatic overhaul of the way the RNC does business.  I have a general outline of what I believe this plan should entail, and I will be contacting members of the RNC in the next week to gather additional ideas for inclusion.

For far too long, the Republican National Committee has been run by consultants rather than by the members.  I will be utilizing the experience of the folks who win elections in the states, rather than just the consultants in DC who get paid regardless of whether we win or lose.

Micro-targeting is a great new technology that has been useful in our voter contact efforts across America. But I fear that Republicans have used micro-targeting for GOTV when we need to rely on old-fashioned voter identification, regardless of the cost.  Consultants have encouraged us all to spend money on items that are commissionable while ignoring the ground game. But just as our country should not ignore the principles upon which our nation was founded, our party would be mistaken to ignore the words of Abraham Lincoln just before he helped form what we now call the Republican Party:

“Organize the whole state so that every Whig can be brought to the polls… Divide the county into small districts and appoint in each a sub-committee. Make a perfect list of all the voters and ascertain with certainty for which they will vote, keep a constant watch on the doubtful voters and…Have them talked to by those in whom they have the most confidence, and on Election Day see that every Whig is brought to the polls.” -Abraham Lincoln 1/21/1840

Voter registration must be a major emphasis for the Republican Party. Of course, we start at a competitive disadvantage with the Democrats and ACORN since we are strictly limited to registering people who actually exist … and we do not get the privilege of being funded by the government. But here is an outline of how we can catch up:

- Hire a large team of coordinators to work with churches across the country to help them register the members of their congregations who are not registered to vote;

- Expend an unprecedented amount of RNC funding to build vibrant College Republican chapters on every major university campus in the nation and use those chapters as a base to register young people to join the Republican Party, and;

- Hire teams of workers to walk door-to-door in targeted neighborhoods to register voters.

As we begin this effort to rebuild the Republican Party, we must not fall for artificial reform at the RNC. And we must not be discouraged.

There is an enormous task ahead and we have experienced some serious losses. But I remember another point in time when conservatives were facing insurmountable odds. I remember when Ronald Reagan was defeated at the 1976 Republican National Convention. Possibly, at no other time in history were conservatives so heartbroken.

But Ronald Reagan was a man of vision. Do you remember the speech he gave the day after his loss that kicked off the then-undeclared 1980 presidential campaign and gave us all hope for a comeback?

“Sure there’s a disappointment in what happened. But the cause goes on. Don’t get cynical because … look at yourselves and what you were willing to do and recognize that there are millions and millions of Americans out there that want what you want … that want it to be that way … that want it to be a shining city on a hill.”

We were greatly discouraged on that day. But during the next decade or so, Ronald Reagan served two successful terms as President, Republicans gained control of the US Senate, income taxes were slashed, the conservative movement grew and prospered like never before … and the Soviet Union collapsed and split apart.

We can have great success and take back Congress and the White House. But we must make real changes at the Republican National Committee in order to make it happen.

Please give me your vote and support in the election for Chairman of the Republican National Committee.

I am ready to make the tough decisions. I am ready to take the heat. I have spent my entire life preparing myself for a job such as this one.  I have the passion and the record to match it.

Thank you for considering my candidacy.  If I may answer any questions or receive any advice from you, please call me.

God Bless You … and Merry Christmas!

Ken Blackwell

Mary Taylor for US Senate?

Erick Erickson picked up a rumor that I know to be quite possible, but haven’t confirmed it with the man himself yet:

I hear that Ken Blackwell, the former Secretary of State of Ohio, is seriously considering throwing his hat into the ring for RNC Chairman against Michael Steele.

Blackwell is active in the NRA, the National Taxpayers Union, and also is a big Club for Growth fan.

Some of the people I talked to this morning said that Blackwell, like Steele, is a fresh face for the GOP, but unlike Steele conservatives tell me they know where Blackwell stands on issues.

Now all we need is J.C. Watts to throw his hat in the ring if we’re just out looking for an African-American to go up against Obama instead of looking for the most qualified guy. Republicans should not be engaged in this level of “me-too-ism” that most people find disingenuous anyway.

My gut reaction to this is that it’s not true, and that the very qualities about Ken Blackwell that I love and dedicated two years of my life to promoting are the same qualities that would automatically disqualify him from becoming RNC Chair.

The Bush-types were always sore at him for being Steve Forbes former campaign chairman in 2000, and he simply isn’t an establishment type. Ken Blackwell is a principled, movement conservative in a party that is still dedicated to sticking to the John McCain/ Christine Todd Whitman  / Kevin DeWine / Jo Ann Davidson squishy & feckless Republican brand.

Among the GOP’s country club elites, Ken Blackwell would be as popular as a skunk at a picnic. The establishment would be far more comfortable with Michael Steele, who is currently the top candidate for RNC Chair even though he has a questionable history on the abortion issue, supports the platform of the Republican Leadership Council, and was just enthusiastically endorsed today by the Log Cabin Republicans.

So who will lead the fledgling Republican Party further into irrelevancy? Stay tuned!

I got to know Billy Valentine during the 2006 election and he is certainly a rising star in the conservative movement.

DeWine is clearly annoying his own party’s most loyal base- the same base they count on for phone banks and door knocking…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEWS RELEASE
November 18, 2007
Contact: Billy Valentine
703-298-1524, billyvalentine@gmail.com

Incoming Ohio GOP Chairman DeWine Part of Problem, Not Solution
Republican Party Leaders in Jefferson County Speak Out Against DeWine’s Comments

STEUBENVILLE, OH — Comments made by incoming Ohio GOP Chairman Kevin DeWine have outraged Republican Party leaders in Jefferson County, Ohio. At a press conference, DeWine claimed the Republican Party has lost its way because of issues like abortion and marriage and wants to abandon any focus on the issues.

“What DeWine doesn’t understand is many GOP activists and voters across the state, especially here in Jefferson County, are Republicans because they are pro-life, not the other way around,” said Mary Novick, president of the Franciscan University of Steubenville College Republicans. “If the Ohio Republican Party abandons us and refuses to voice our values, we will abandon the party.”

During the 2008 election cycle, Franciscan University College Republicans made over 42,000 voter contacts. Because of their efforts, John McCain came just shy of winning heavily Democratic Jefferson County by just 50 votes. In 2006, Franciscan University deployed the third-most students for GOTV efforts in the entire nation, and hosted a values voters forum featuring Ken Blackwell and Sen. Mike DeWine. In 2004, Franciscan students staged the biggest protest of John Kerry’s entire campaign, sparking national news coverage.

“We don’t make tens of thousands of phone calls and knock on thousands of doors cycle after cycle for the Ohio Republican Party because of issues like taxes,” said Novick. “Sure we agree with the party on the issue, but its not what motivates us to work so hard.”

Billy Valentine, president of the Jefferson County Young Republicans, said that DeWine is part of the problem, not the solution. Valentine is the former chairman of the Franciscan University College Republicans for the 2006 election cycle.

“Voters have abandoned the Republican Party not because of its message, but because of its corrupt messengers, said Valentine. “DeWine himself is part of the problem, as he voted for former Gov. Taft’s massive tax increase which is a big part of the reason why the Ohio Republican brand is in shambles in the first place. Our party needs new messengers, not a new message. DeWine is part of the problem, not the solution. It is especially obvious because since coming under fire for his comments, DeWine has not tried to make amends, and instead has defiantly denied any wrongdoing, a typical characteristic of failed leadership. He only apologizes for the backlash that has resulted from his comments, not the comments themselves.”

The Franciscan University College Republicans and the Jefferson County Young Republicans are calling on DeWine to retract his comments and to pledge to make sure that social issues remain an integral part of the Ohio Republican Party message.

“DeWine needs to stop defying those who he is supposed to lead, needs to make amends, and needs to reunite the party in a time we so desperately need it. If he is incapable of doing this he shouldn’t be anointed as the party’s leader,” said Valentine.

The Franciscan University College Republicans are affiliated with the Ohio College Republican Federation. The Jefferson County Young Republicans are not affiliated with the statewide party or any other group.

###

Joe Hallett is right- Kevin DeWine was not taken out of context when he argued that the Republican party would be wise to move away from social conservatism. In fact, it sounds much like national talking points I’ve heard from Tim Pawlenty and other more moderate Republican reformers who think the era of Reagan conservatism is over. I’m glad he posted the audio for you to listen to.

DeWine’s point of view is wrong, but I would respect him more if he didn’t spend so much effort worming out of his comments to make sure every audience only hears from him what they want to.