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Campaign 2012 York: With week to go, Team Romney is upbeat about Ohio
October 29, 2012 | 8:00 pm
33Comments
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney in Avon Lake, Ohio (AP photo)
Byron York Chief Political Correspondent The Washington Examiner
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Jason Gloeckner, of Galena, Ohio, never told his wife, Jean, that he voted for Barack Obama in 2008. Never, that is, until a few days ago, when I asked as we waited for Mitt Romney to appear at a rally outside a Columbus-area steel-processing company.
"Last time I voted for Obama," Gloeckner told me.
"You did?" said Jean, standing nearby, a look of astonishment on her face.
"Whoa!" said their friend J.P. Valiulis, who had joined them in waiting for Romney. "The truth comes out."
"He was a good talker!" said Jason, trying to justify his vote for Obama.
I asked Jean whether she knew her husband had voted for the Democrat. "No!" she said. "We're a house divided now."
Jason admits he didn't pay much attention to politics four years ago. Since then, though, he's been repeatedly disappointed by Obama. He was leaning toward Romney but still undecided until the first debate in early October. That did it; like his wife, Jason is all in for Romney now.
Gloeckner has joined what appears to be a growing number of Ohio voters moving toward a vote for the Republican ticket. On Monday, pollster Scott Rasmussen released a new survey showing Romney leading Obama in Ohio 50 percent to 48 percent -- the first poll to show the challenger in front. Over the weekend, a poll done for Ohio's top newspapers showed the race dead even, with both candidates at 49 percent.
Of course, many polls have shown Obama with a slight lead in Ohio, but the newer surveys suggesting a tightening race have Romney forces confident that something is going on in the state. On Monday morning, the campaign sent out a new strategy memo from Scott Jennings, the Ohio campaign director, that used the word "momentum" six times. Team Romney sees it everywhere in Ohio: polls, endorsements, early voting.
And in the people coming to Romney's rallies. Jennings attended the rally at the steel-processing company, and as we talked while waiting for Romney to speak, a woman came over. "I'm taking it very, very personally that it's going to come down to the state I live in," the woman, Regina Gardner, of Columbus, said. "I'm doing a lot of volunteer work, I'm helping to get out the vote, I'm knocking on doors, I'm calling people, I'm going to be a poll watcher on Election Day. I'm trying to get my friends to realize, you can't just complain; you've got to do more."
After a pause, Gardner asked, "Is he going to win?"
I gestured toward Jennings and said, "Ask this man."
"We're winning," Jennings told Gardner. "Believe me, we're winning."
The Romney campaign is pinning its hopes on Ohio's independent voters. "The last five major statewide races in Ohio, the candidate who won independents won the race," Jennings explained. "Rob Portman, John Kasich, Sherrod Brown, Ted Strickland, Barack Obama -- they all have one thing in common. They won independents."
Pollster Rasmussen agrees. "I expect the partisan breakdown in Ohio to be fairly even, roughly the same number of Republicans as Democrats," he said in an email exchange. "If that's the case, whoever wins Independent voters wins the election."
The problem is, it's not clear who's winning independents. In the two polls that have energized Romney forces, Rasmussen and the Ohio newspaper poll, Obama actually had a slight lead among independents, but one that fell well within the margin of error. Team Romney argues that independents favor Romney on the most important issue in the race, the economy. That's true but doesn't prove much, at least at the moment.
Still, there just seems to be more enthusiasm on the Republican side in Ohio. "I've seen a lot more energy since that debate," said Rick Baumbach, of Lewis Center, Ohio, as he waited for Romney. "The people who knocked on my door, they said, 'I went and signed up to volunteer after the debate.' "
"I think it's increasing," said Bob Scherer, of Delaware, Ohio, when I asked whether enthusiasm had leveled off since the debate.
"There's a lot of excitement," said Bernie Skubak, of Powell, Ohio.
In his polling, Rasmussen has noted that Romney is doing a little better with Ohio Democrats than Obama is doing with Ohio Republicans. In the end, Romney has to change minds -- like Jason Gloeckner's -- in a state that Obama won by five points in 2008. Whatever Romney's momentum, there's not much time left.
Byron York, The Examiner's chief political correspondent, can be contacted at byork@washingtonexaminer.com. His column appears on Tuesday and Friday, and his stories and blog posts appear on washingtonexaminer.com.
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Showing 31 comments
palinhb
Independents and the suburban voters will carry the night for Romney
Karl Rove on hughhewitt.com
Like Reply 10/29/2012 11:08 PM 28 Likes
libsrclowns
Soon we will be rid of the Thug style government of Head Thug Obama and is Thug boot lickers.
Romney will restore America
Like Reply 10/30/2012 12:20 AM in reply to palinhb 25 Likes
Dan Davis
Romney has an 8-12 point lead nationally among independents - it's hard to believe that doesn't exist in OH (as well as the other swing states) as well.
Like Reply 10/30/2012 08:12 AM 21 Likes
BrianDustin
......goo.gl/pJgM5
Like Reply 10/30/2012 06:44 PM in reply to Dan Davis
Florin S., Working to bring out the truth about politicians and politics.
Keep putting ads here BrianDustin and you will receive a bill for ads placed.
Like Reply 10/30/2012 11:42 PM in reply to BrianDustin
BrianDustin
Bryan implied I didnt know that some one can earn $6880 in four weeks on the network. have you look this(Click on menu Home)
Like Reply 10/30/2012 06:43 PM in reply to Dan Davis
Florin S., Working to bring out the truth about politicians and politics.
You will be charged for advertising on this site.
Like Reply 10/30/2012 11:41 PM in reply to BrianDustin
Christopher Dunson
Ohio will not vote for the coward of Benghazi.
Like Reply 10/30/2012 10:13 AM 19 Likes
Zeke
Don't worry, Barry can get another job soon - his buddy Rahm is advertising for a community organizer in Chicago.
Like Reply 10/30/2012 09:49 AM 17 Likes
Live_Free_Or_Die
This election is going to be about turnout and independents. Both are in huge numbers on R&R side. Spin for a second, if Obama was up with independents and enthusiasm the lame stream media would all but be saying it is over, a land slide. Let's get used to President Elect Mitt Romney and First Lady Anne Romney.
Like Reply 10/30/2012 09:44 AM 17 Likes
skatblueeyes
Keep encouraging people to vote Romney/Ryan! We need to turnout the vote big time!
Like Reply 10/30/2012 10:53 AM 11 Likes
capn
HEY!!!! This is America!!
It's NOT "Team Romney" , it's "The Romney Team"
Please make a note of it.
Like Reply 10/30/2012 09:42 AM 4 Likes
markpolio
Better look a the numbers instead of a debate. Romney hates American workers.
Like Reply 10/30/2012 08:08 AM 3 Likes
skatblueeyes
Obama hates Americans. Especially those fighting to save their fellow Americans!
Like Reply 10/30/2012 10:52 AM in reply to markpolio 12 Likes
capn
America has employee and associates.
Communist states have "workers"
(Edited by author 3 days ago)
Like Reply 10/30/2012 09:55 AM in reply to markpolio 12 Likes
Archie Bunker
that is so dumb. You must be some sort of semantical genius.
Here is an article on Fox News referring to American Workers (as a synonym for Employees)
nation.foxnews.com
Like Reply 10/30/2012 06:28 PM in reply to capn
BeyondPolls
How do you know that?
Like Reply 10/30/2012 09:22 AM in reply to markpolio 2 Likes
NITPICKER2
He loves them when they will work for peanuts.
Like Reply 10/30/2012 08:12 AM in reply to markpolio 2 Likes
FlushOblamer
Obama loves when you are unemployed and on welfare/food stamps. The extreme progressives have destroyed the Democrat party. Obama has lead them over the cliff. Bye bye libtards Nov 6!!!!
Like Reply 10/30/2012 09:27 AM in reply to NITPICKER2 16 Likes
Scott
You've been brainwashed. Romney creates jobs. No employer want disgruntled employees as those are non productive employees.
Check Romney's success rate... over 70% of the failing companies he's bought he turned around and they're growing and paying out checks.
Compare that to Obama's failures with OUR TAX DOLLARS. He's a total failure. Passing out OUR MONEY to his campaign friends to start up "green energy" companies. Those companies are dropping like flies and OUR MONEY WASTED.
Like Reply 10/30/2012 10:53 AM in reply to NITPICKER2 13 Likes
DG
"In the end, Romney has to change minds..."
Not really. The chief factor now is voter turnout. Compared to that, changing minds has become at this point quite secondary.
Like Reply 10/30/2012 11:59 AM 2 Likes
NITPICKER2
This comment was flagged for review.
Like Reply 10/30/2012 07:34 AM 2 Likes
Robert Hoover
You can call him Mr. President. Thank you.
Like Reply 10/30/2012 08:52 AM in reply to NITPICKER2 12 Likes
FlushOblamer
Nosepicker don't worry president Romney will be sure to indict Obama and his thugs for their crimes against the constitution and American citizens.
Like Reply 10/30/2012 09:28 AM in reply to NITPICKER2 8 Likes
Tompaq
That was an incoherent response. So Nosepicker2 do you have any comment on the polling or perhaps the article you just read - or not read?
Like Reply 10/30/2012 08:11 AM in reply to NITPICKER2 7 Likes
Fraud Detector
He's incoherent and irrational 'cause that finger has dug a little too deep a few times too many.
Like Reply 10/30/2012 12:53 PM in reply to Tompaq
Howienica
Shouldn"t you be in the White House consoling your little boy Barack, Valerie?
Like Reply 10/30/2012 09:55 AM in reply to NITPICKER2 4 Likes
JettieG
I'm scared that team obama will rig the election. Desperation is setting in for them -- look at the sick ads now with the brain-washed kids, profanity-spouting grandmas and first-sex with obama. Axelrod and the Chicago thugs will do anything to keep the People's House.
Ah, I'm not being sensible...Byron, thank God we have journos like you to keep us grounded.
Like Reply 10/31/2012 01:45 PM
jmm64
Virginia, Florida, Ohio, and North Carolina have been lost to the Democrats irretrievably. It is shocking to see the Democrats along with the mainstream media cling to the myth that they are still toss-up states. My children gave up on Santa Claus at about age five or five-and-a-half with less effort or trauma than it's taking the Democrats along with the mainstream media to admit what has happened in those states.
Like Reply 10/30/2012 11:44 PM
jqc1970
If you haven't seen 2016, here's a link:
butthurt.co
Like Reply 10/30/2012 04:07 PM
ArnoldLayne, Hip
whitehousedossier.com
Like Reply 10/30/2012 12:49 AM
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Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney in Avon Lake, Ohio (AP photo)
Byron York Chief Political Correspondent The Washington Examiner
More Photos
Related Articles
Popular in Politics
- Albright raps 'disgusting Serbs' in Prague book signing
- York: In Ohio, Romney battles Obama -- and the polls
- $1.5B contract in Iraq for Biden’s little brother exposes Obama ahead of debate
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Jason Gloeckner, of Galena, Ohio, never told his wife, Jean, that he voted for Barack Obama in 2008. Never, that is, until a few days ago, when I asked as we waited for Mitt Romney to appear at a rally outside a Columbus-area steel-processing company.
"Last time I voted for Obama," Gloeckner told me.
"You did?" said Jean, standing nearby, a look of astonishment on her face.
"Whoa!" said their friend J.P. Valiulis, who had joined them in waiting for Romney. "The truth comes out."
"He was a good talker!" said Jason, trying to justify his vote for Obama.
I asked Jean whether she knew her husband had voted for the Democrat. "No!" she said. "We're a house divided now."
Jason admits he didn't pay much attention to politics four years ago. Since then, though, he's been repeatedly disappointed by Obama. He was leaning toward Romney but still undecided until the first debate in early October. That did it; like his wife, Jason is all in for Romney now.
Gloeckner has joined what appears to be a growing number of Ohio voters moving toward a vote for the Republican ticket. On Monday, pollster Scott Rasmussen released a new survey showing Romney leading Obama in Ohio 50 percent to 48 percent -- the first poll to show the challenger in front. Over the weekend, a poll done for Ohio's top newspapers showed the race dead even, with both candidates at 49 percent.
Of course, many polls have shown Obama with a slight lead in Ohio, but the newer surveys suggesting a tightening race have Romney forces confident that something is going on in the state. On Monday morning, the campaign sent out a new strategy memo from Scott Jennings, the Ohio campaign director, that used the word "momentum" six times. Team Romney sees it everywhere in Ohio: polls, endorsements, early voting.
And in the people coming to Romney's rallies. Jennings attended the rally at the steel-processing company, and as we talked while waiting for Romney to speak, a woman came over. "I'm taking it very, very personally that it's going to come down to the state I live in," the woman, Regina Gardner, of Columbus, said. "I'm doing a lot of volunteer work, I'm helping to get out the vote, I'm knocking on doors, I'm calling people, I'm going to be a poll watcher on Election Day. I'm trying to get my friends to realize, you can't just complain; you've got to do more."
After a pause, Gardner asked, "Is he going to win?"
I gestured toward Jennings and said, "Ask this man."
"We're winning," Jennings told Gardner. "Believe me, we're winning."
The Romney campaign is pinning its hopes on Ohio's independent voters. "The last five major statewide races in Ohio, the candidate who won independents won the race," Jennings explained. "Rob Portman, John Kasich, Sherrod Brown, Ted Strickland, Barack Obama -- they all have one thing in common. They won independents."
Pollster Rasmussen agrees. "I expect the partisan breakdown in Ohio to be fairly even, roughly the same number of Republicans as Democrats," he said in an email exchange. "If that's the case, whoever wins Independent voters wins the election."
The problem is, it's not clear who's winning independents. In the two polls that have energized Romney forces, Rasmussen and the Ohio newspaper poll, Obama actually had a slight lead among independents, but one that fell well within the margin of error. Team Romney argues that independents favor Romney on the most important issue in the race, the economy. That's true but doesn't prove much, at least at the moment.
Still, there just seems to be more enthusiasm on the Republican side in Ohio. "I've seen a lot more energy since that debate," said Rick Baumbach, of Lewis Center, Ohio, as he waited for Romney. "The people who knocked on my door, they said, 'I went and signed up to volunteer after the debate.' "
"I think it's increasing," said Bob Scherer, of Delaware, Ohio, when I asked whether enthusiasm had leveled off since the debate.
"There's a lot of excitement," said Bernie Skubak, of Powell, Ohio.
In his polling, Rasmussen has noted that Romney is doing a little better with Ohio Democrats than Obama is doing with Ohio Republicans. In the end, Romney has to change minds -- like Jason Gloeckner's -- in a state that Obama won by five points in 2008. Whatever Romney's momentum, there's not much time left.
Byron York, The Examiner's chief political correspondent, can be contacted at byork@washingtonexaminer.com. His column appears on Tuesday and Friday, and his stories and blog posts appear on washingtonexaminer.com.
From WashingtonExaminer.com
Romney has solid edge in 269-269 electoral vote tie scenario
Young millennials _ fiscal conservatives?
Photo: President Obama and First Lady appear stunned after first debate
The real photo of the guard watching the Tomb of the Unknown Solider during…
Barone: When it comes to polls, readers beware
From Around the Web
You Won’t Believe Who Romney’s Related To (Ancestry.com)
Obama Uses Crucifixes To Get Catholic Votes (Investors.com)
Romney’s entire joke monologue at Alfred E. Smith dinner (CNN)
Phil Collins still frugal 'against all odds' (Bankrate.com)
Schoolboy Crush Winnie Cooper Has Grown Up Gorgeous (Zimbio)
recommended by Outbrain [?]
Disqus
Like Dislike and 3 others liked this.
Showing 31 comments
palinhb
Independents and the suburban voters will carry the night for Romney
Karl Rove on hughhewitt.com
Like Reply 10/29/2012 11:08 PM 28 Likes
libsrclowns
Soon we will be rid of the Thug style government of Head Thug Obama and is Thug boot lickers.
Ro
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