Watchman on the Wall

Dear Friend,

One year to go! Thanks to you and thousands of other Team Portman members, we have built a solid foundation in 2009 to take us to victory in November of 2010. We are raising the funds we’ll need to get our message out and respond to the attacks we know are coming. And we are building the statewide grassroots network we’ll need, starting with a volunteer leadership team in every one of the Ohio’s 88 counties.
I want to give you an update on our recent visits to some key counties, but first I think it’s important to recognize the significance of the elections yesterday in Virginia, New Jersey, and elsewhere. People in these states have spoken. They are frustrated and worried – with good reason – about the economy, unprecedented deficit spending, higher taxes, bigger and more intrusive government, and the job-killing proposals coming out of Washington and many state capitols.
I certainly hear these concerns in my travels around Ohio, and I share them. In fact, it’s why I chose to run for the U.S. Senate. I hope Washington hears the clear message sent yesterday: it’s time to stop the risky deficit spending and job-killing policies.
Since the last campaign update, I’ve continued to travel the Buckeye State and listen to the concerns of workers who fear their job could be the next one lost, and to small business owners who are scared to take a risk in today’s economy because of what they see coming down the pike: higher taxes, higher health care costs, higher energy costs, more government regulations, and an exploding federal debt that threatens to keep our economy stalled.
People are looking for common-sense conservative solutions that will help turn things around in Ohio and the country. They are looking for a focus on fiscal discipline and creating jobs and better economic conditions.

Campaign Travels

I recently traveled to Summit County where I visited an inspirational K-8 school for at-risk kids called Emmanuel Christian Academy, spoke with students at a political science class at the University of Akron, and gave a policy speech at the Akron Press Club. I talked about my proposals for new incentives for creating jobs and economic growth, especially through helping small businesses. We had a full house at the Press Club, including three of our great Summit County PFS Co-Chairs - Karen Arshinkoff, Bryan Williams, and Debbie Owens.

I have also had the chance to see some of our other county leadership teams in action on separate trips to speak to crowds in Allen and Ashland Counties. PFS Chair Dave Rodabough introduced me to more than 500 enthusiastic Republicans at the Allen County GOP BBQ – an impressive event put together by GOP Chairman Keith Cheney. Over in Ashland County, GOP Chairman Bob DeSanto and his team put together another energized crowd for the Ashland County GOP Ox Roast. Really good steaks and lots of good conversations about the need for conservatives to do a better job promoting our alternatives to the policies of the Obama Administration and Congress.

While in Allen County, I toured National Lime and Stone, a proud Ohio family business that provides the raw materials necessary for everything from road construction to solar panels. We talked about how the cap-and-trade proposal could hurt this energy-intensive business that creates good jobs in our communities around the state. Company officials are also concerned about the job-killing mandates and higher costs included in the health-care proposals being written in Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s and Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s offices.

Helping Fellow Ohioans

During these tough times, I continue to be impressed with the compassion of our fellow Ohioans such as West Ohio Food Bank Executive Director Bambi Markham. She knows how important community support is to the organization’s mission to help 170 charities throughout 11 counties in Western Ohio. Under Markham’s direction, the West Ohio Food Bank relies on hundreds of dedicated volunteers, businesses like Wal-Mart and Procter & Gamble, local farms, and government surplus to help stock food pantries. Markham has also developed innovative programs to provide healthy lunches for low-income school children and meals for seniors.

Just One Year From Now …

Your continued support is critical to building on the grassroots network that’s powering this campaign. Go here to volunteer, see how you can recruit your friends, or give your support to ensure we have the resources we’ll need to get out our message and counter baseless attacks.
Thanks again for all you do!