Hamilton County's Pat DeWine: Put Ten Commandments In Courtrooms

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- The former senator's son -- whose broken marriage became an issue when he ran unsuccessfully for the OH-02 House seat in 2005 -- now finds himself in a contested Republican primary for a Common Pleas Court judgeship. This time, Pat DeWine seems to be making a play for the socially conservative GOP vote. The Daily Bellwether has learned DeWine is listed replying "Yes" on a Citizens for Community Values questionnaire that asks if the Ten Commandments should be displayed in Ohio's courtrooms. Specifically, the question reads:

"Do you believe that a judge has the right to display the Ten Commandments in his or her courtroom?"

A link to the questionnaire is available here. Ohio Supreme Court Justice Evelyn Stratton filled out the form but refused to reveal her views about hanging the Commandments in a courtroom. She wrote: "Decline to answer on this: Issue may come before the Supreme Court."

DeWine, whose father, Mike, lost the Senate seat in November 2006 to Sherrod Brown, is a Hamilton County commissioner. He also may be opening himself up to charges he's a hypocrite. To some, his interest in the Ten Commandments may appear disingenuous considering that he had a reputation for flouting the Sixth Commandment: "Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery." He was dogged throughout the 2005 congressional campaign about reports he left his pregnant wife for another woman. National Public Radio's political junkie Ken Rudin noted that Pat DeWine's personal life played a role in the loss to Jean Schmidt in the '05 House race:

"But what really doomed him -- and doomed he was, going from clear frontrunner to fourth-place finisher -- was his personal life. Several years ago, he left his wife, who was pregnant with their third child, for Betty Hull, a Republican lobbyist. The marriage ended in divorce, and Hull accompanied DeWine in his bid for Congress."

OH-02: Nobody Knows Noses Like Neocon Phil Heimlich

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- The Cincinnati area, which is down in the Ohio River Valley, is known for allergies, mold and clogged sinus passages. Republican Phil Heimlich, who is running against Ohio 2nd District Congresswoman Mean Jean Schmidt in the 2008 GOP primary, is caught demonstrating on TV what it is like to live in this nasally sensitive community.

At the time he was honking on public access like an out of tune oboe, Heimlich was a Hamilton County Commissioner. The guy talking is Democrat Todd Portune, who appears perturbed. If "Honker" Heimlich gets to Congress, perhaps he'll sponsor legislation declaring Cincinnati the handkerchief capital of America. (Major Hat Tip to the Cincinnati Beacon, which posted the clip in May 2006.)

OH-02's Jean Schmidt: Screw-Up Flagged By Federal Election Commish

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- If you go fishing, you have to have a fishing license. If you golf, you have to show the starter the greens' fees are squared away. And if you plan to run for Congress and are raising campaign cash, you have to tell the Federal Election Commission.

It appears U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt, a conservative Republican from Ohio's 2nd Congressional District, has neglected to file proper paperwork in Washington that legally declares herself a candidate for reelection. But Schmidt' campaign committee has been raising and spending money -- drawing this regulatory notice from the FEC that points out she's not playing by the rules Senators and House members must follow.

The FEC has given her until July 23 to formally declare whether she's running or sitting out the 2008 election. The commission believes her fundraising activities appear to be for 2008, a race expected to match her against former Hamilton County Commissioner Phil Heimlich, whose paperwork is now in place for the GOP primary.

Madelynn M. Lane signed the FEC notice to Schmidt, saying:

"A review of these reports indicates that your principal campaign committee has net debts from the previous election cycle, and has accepted contributions and/or made expenditures in support of your candidacy in excess of $5,000, thus meeting the definition of "candidate per Federal Election Campaign Laws.

"You must either disavow these activities by notifying the Commission in writing that you are not a candidate, or redesignate your principal campaign committee by filing a Statement of Candidacy (FEC FORM 2) within thirty days from the date of this letter," the FEC official said in the formal notice dated June 23.

Two weeks have passed. There's nothing to show Schmidt has declared herself a candidate. Any possibility she's quitting?

OH-02: It Looks Like Term-limited Tom Brinkman Could Force GOP Primary

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Spent some time chatting in a Cincinnati coffee shop recently with State Rep. Tom Brinkman Jr., an ultra-conservative Republican who said he has pretty much made up his mind to run against U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt in the 2008 GOP primary. Brinkman's 34th Ohio House district is on Cincinnati's East Side and includes Anderson Township, a large suburb. He said he is term-limited out of the Ohio General Assembly in 2008, still supports term limits even though they are forcing him out of an office, and more than strongly suggested he has his eye on the House seat Schmidt won in 2005.

Brinkman has a chairmanship in this legislative biennial, which he believes adds meat to his Statehouse resume , which sometimes strayed into cul-de-sacs and what looked like political performance art. Brinkman was a ceaseless critic of former Republican Gov. Bob Taft, whom he refused to support, and he probably will try to use his anti-Taft history as an asset. He said he'll be involved in getting Worker's Comp reforms through the General Assembly this session, which he can point to on the primary trail as a legislative accomplishment. Brinkman ran against Schmidt in the 2005 special primary. She came out on top of the 11-person field and then slipped past Democrat Paul Hackett. Last fall, she edged Democrat Victoria Wulsin.

Brinkman said he was confident he could a make a case across the seven-counties of OH-02 that he would be a stronger candidate against Democrats than Schmidt. He said his political base in Hamilton County is larger than hers in Clermont County. Both Schmidt and Brinkman are pro-life, pro-gun conservatives. Brinkman said he will contend that his anti-tax credentials are stronger.

Another Hamilton County Republican supposedly interested in a primary is Phil Heimlich. His formal intentions are unknown, and some of the buzz about his stature as a political figure of future import died down this winter. Michael Keating, a former bank executive, may be looking into a race. Asked what he's heard, Brinkman said he thinks Keating might run, he's fairly confident Heimlich won't and didn't know much about the plans of a third oft-rumored Schmidt foe: Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters.

Bottomline: Brinkman clearly wants to run against Schmidt and he seems to be gearing up for a race. He said he's already met with pro-gun forces to gauge their support. Can he raise enough money? Schmidt has the power of incumbency. That's always a factor. And do Republicans ever dump sitting officeholders? Not often.