Jim Geraghty had an interesting observation this morning:
According to GreenPapers.com, no Democrat filed against half of the Republicans currently representing Ohio in the House: Mike Turner in the Third District, Jim Jordan in the Fourth District, Bob Latta in the Fifth District, and Steve Austria in the Seventh District.
Nine of the ten House Democrats from Ohio will face a Republican opponent, except for Marcia Fudge in the Eleventh District.
UPDATE: In 2008, Obama carried Fudge’s district with 85 percent of the vote; it’s rated an astounding D+32 in the Cook Partisan Voting Index.
By contrast, the four uncontested GOP-held districts are ones where the incumbent will have an advantage, but not an overwhelming one: McCain carried Turner’s district with only 52 percent of the vote and it’s rated only R+5 in the Cook Partisan Voting Index. McCain’s vote in the other three: 60 percent in Jordan’s, 53 percent in Latta’s, 54 percent in Austria’s. They’re rated R+15, R+9, and R+7, respectively.
This means far more than just making it easy on these four Republicans.
Jim Jordan has $743,000 cash-on-hand.
Michael Turner has $274,000 cash-on-hand.
Steve Austria has $260,000 cash-on-hand.
Bob Latta has $176,000 cash-on-hand.
That’s nearly $1.5 million that won’t need to be spent defending their own district.
Or if you look at it another way, it’s a good chunk of change that can enhance their own profile within the caucus by contributing large amounts to campaign committees and candidates to help other GOPers win.
So, with that said, I think we all owe ODP Chairman Chris Redfern and the DCCC a great, big thank you for doing their part to make our victory that much easier come November.
