Will Ohio Republican Party back Anti-Gun Mike DeWine?

It looks like once again the party hacks in the Republican party will support another retread politician. Like a punch drunk boxer that doesn't know when to quit - it appears Mike "take their guns" DeWine will be looking to run for office again!

Instead of supporting candidates that share our conservative values and honor the rights protected by our Constitution - the Republican party will support an openly anti-gun candidates is par for the course. And some of you thought Kevin DeSwine (ORP Chair) would be any better than the Blob Bennet the hack that he replaced as State Party Chairman. Nope - different name - same crap...

From Buckeye Firearms --

In 2006, the Ohio Republican Party employed a strategy of supporting candidates with state-wide name recognition (and anti-gun records) over pro-gun candidates that were less well-known.

The state party, under the control of then-Chairman Bob Bennett, backed anti-gun Jeanette Bradley over pro-gun Sandy O'Brien for Treasurer, and anti-gun candidate Betty Montgomery over pro-gun candidate Tim Grendell for Attorney General.

Believing that "O'Brien can't win" in November, party leaders sunk the party's resources into Bradley. Despite having earned statewide name recognition while serving as Lt. Governor in the Taft administration, and despite her opponent having almost no resources (in comparison to the Ohio Republican Party-backed candidate), pro-gun Sandy O'Brien defeated anti-gun Jeanette Bradley in the primary.

Betty Montgomery, meanwhile, who once infamously told Buckeye Firearms Association Chairman Jim Irvine she would "never be the candidate of the NRA", won her primary, but was defeated in November - by a far lesser known and less well-funded (but pro-gun!) Democrat.

Is history about to repeat itself, just one state-wide election cycle later? Will the Ohio Republican party, under the new leadership of Chairman Kevin DeWine, continue the failed strategy of supporting candidates with name recognition over those with a record of strong support for gun rights?

The 2010 race for Attorney General is shaping up to be an excellent bellwether.

The Columbus Dispatch is reporting that former U.S. Senator Mike DeWine, who lost his seat in 2006, has filed a designation of treasurer statement with the Ohio secretary of state's office, a move which will allow him to begin raising funds.

DeWine has not said what office he plans to seek, but many political observers believe he has an eye on the attorney general's office. Given that Delaware County Prosecutor Dave Yost has already declared his candidacy for the Republican nomination for Attorney General, DeWine's move could signal a 2006 deja-vu all over again, pitting vehemently anti-gun DeWine's strong name recognition against the lesser well-known, pro-gun Yost.

Has the Ohio Republican Party learned its lesson? If so, they will quickly signal their support for Dave Yost's campaign, and begin funneling dollars his way. Or, rather, will they decide to back the anti-gun, name recognition candidate, Mike DeWine?

Let's be clear about one thing. Even with party support, Mike DeWine is destined for the same fate Jeanette Bradley and Betty Montgomery suffered in 2006.

The most likely scenario is that he will lose in the primary, leaving the party and media "experts" to once again wonder how a little-known candidate like Prosecutor Yost beat a former U.S. Senator.

If DeWine somehow defeats Yost in the primary, he will find himself facing a pro-gun Democrat, incumbent Richard Cordray, come November.

Either way, DeWine will go back into the political dust bin with the last two well-known anti-gun Republican candidates.

Ask an Ohio Republican Party official today, and they'll be happy to tell you that Republicans are the pro-gun More...

And they wonder why people are disgusted with the Republicans! They can't even stand up for what they believe!