Let's Make this Year Matter"
title borrowed from a recent Bill O'Neill's Facebook post
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Those are powerful words from someone we all know and respect. They should resonate with you especially if your political hopes were dashed in 2024. One bright note is the performance of Geauga County vs. surrounding Counties in 2024. We were able to increase voter support for
Sherrod (as compared to 2012) while Sherrod's support in in surrounding counties dropped by as much as 38%!
​Our increase was small, about one percent, but when compared to other counties, we did very well. It shows our tactics and the work of our volunteers made a difference. I’m not going to name specific counties but I do want to share the percentage DROPS in surrounding counties.
County #1 -38%
County #2. -36%
County #3. -14%
County #4. -6%
County #5 -3%
Had all Ohio counties performed as well as Geauga, Sherrod would have won re-election. Former House Speaker Tip O’Neill said “all politics are local”. His observation comes into sharp focus after an election like this.
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Our comparison of Sherrod's contest is based on the 2024 and 2012 general elections. Both of those elections included a Presidential candidate on the same ballot.
A comparison of the 2018 vs. the 2024 Senate races is less valid because different voters come out in Presidential elections vs. Gubernatorial elections and 2018 was such an election. However, a comparison of even the 2018 vs. 2024 election favors Geauga's results in all but one surrounding county.
So, what produced better results for Sherrod in the 2024 Geauga election? In addition to all our other activities, we erected 400 large campaign signs along major Geauga travel routes and increased the number of handwritten postcards noting Sherrod's Senate accomplishments. It was an enormous effort involving many volunteers but it paid off.
​It's not like we haven't made similiar efforts in the past. In 2013, we printed 40,000 "YES on ISSUE 1" signs and distributed to 37 Ohio counties. We also produced 125,000 voter message postcards and distributed them all over Ohio. Our members hand-wrote and mailed 8,000 of those cards to voters.
Just three months prior to the 2023 November election, we launched an
aggressive campaign against the "August 8th Issue 1" power grab by the
Ohio Legislature and it produced remarkable results. Geauga had the highest percentage of voter participation of all 88 Ohio Counties! Geauga also had the largest swing from the Biden percentage to the Vote NO percentage in the entire State! Our campaign engaged voters in Geauga as well as other Ohio counties.
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In that election, we hand wrote 11,000 postcards urging voters to vote NO on the August 8th against Issue 1. That issue would have vastly increased the number of signatures needed to place an amendment on the ballot and increased the percentage of voters needed to approve a change to the Ohio Constitution.
​In 2022, our members distributed tens of thousands of Ryan and Whaley signs across fifty-eight Ohio Counties. Every "Whaley for Governor" sign in the entire state of Ohio was initially paid for and distributed by members of our Party. We also welcomed three statewide candidates to our Annual Steak Roast and hosted all three Supreme Court candidates at our Annual Dinner.
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In 2020, we worked hard and did our part to help the Biden/Harris team run up a 7,000,000 national vote plurality to win a decisive victory. In the same year, we worked to elect Jennifer Brunner to the Ohio Supreme Court giving Democrats three out of the seven seats on that Court. We also helped to return Judge Cindy Rice to the 11th District Court of Appeals.
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In 2018 we helped to elect Melody Stewart and Michael Donnelly to the Ohio Supreme Court and helped to return Mary Jane Trapp to the 11th District Court of Appeals.
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In 2014, we helped Judge Rice and Judge Cannon win re-election. We also helped Dr. John Patterson win election to the Ohio Legislature. We helped John retain his seat in 2016, 2018, and 2020. During his eight years, Dr. Patterson authored and lead the fight to completely revamp school funding in Ohio.
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In 2012, we helped Judge Bill O'Neill win a seat on the Ohio Supreme Court and we assisted Senator Capri Cafaro win her re-election bid after being redistricted.
In 2011, we helped to elect Terri Stupica, the first female Judge ever to serve in a Geauga County courtroom. She has won re-election three times since then.
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​In 2010, we helped elect Tom Wright to the Court of Appeals and in 2016 we
helped re-elect him to the same position.
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In 2007, we helped to elect Governor Ted Strickland with a 57% victory in Geauga County. ​In 2008, we played a pivotal role in getting Judge Cannon appointed to the 11th District Court of Appeals.
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​In the 2023, 2021, 2019, 2017, 2015, 2013, and 2011 elections, we assisted Democrats in school board, council, and township races. We now have 24 local Democratic officeholders.
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​Our Party has actively campaigned for hundreds of candidates and we've hosted many notables such as Ohio Supreme Court Justice Jennifer Brunner, Sherrod Brown, Mary Jane Trapp, Michael Donnelly, Judge Terri Jamison, Judge Marilyn Zayas, Judge Lisa Forbes, Cheryl Stephens, Tim Ryan, Nan Whaley, Bill O'Neill, John Patterson, Ted Strickland, Frances Strickland, Capri Cafaro, Lee Fisher, Armon Budish, Richard Cordray, Marc Dann, Melody Stewart, Todd Portune, Mark Schneider, Dan McClellan, Joe Schavoni and Jeff Crossman.​
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All this activity takes planning, energy, cooperation, patience, and dedication
by scores of committed members. Some of our members choose to go
Platinum. Some join as Sustaining members. Some join the Club.
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Everyone contributes in their own way. Some of our members do it all. They volunteer their time and treasure. Why not join us as a Member?
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