Ohio Democrats hope Donald Trump costs GOP bits of its super-majorities in legislature

[TexasTowelie]

Entering what some veterans of Ohio legislative campaigns say could be the wildest election in modern times, Democrats say they are confident they can pick up seats and narrow the GOP’s massive majorities.

But Republicans say their data show that the “Trump Factor” isn’t having much negative impact on their races, in contrast to their initial fears.

As Donald Trump hemorrhages support in some key demographic groups and polls show him trailing Hillary Clinton in Ohio, Democrats see pickup opportunities in legislative races for their underfunded candidates.

Trump is reportedly polling especially poorly in suburbs around Cleveland, Dayton and Columbus. Those who have seen internal polls say his numbers are worst in central Ohio, which has Democrats looking to pick up the seat held by Sen. Jim Hughes, R-Upper Arlington.

Read more: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2016/08/28/ohio-democrats-hope-donald-trump-costs-gop-bits-of-its-super-majorities-in-legislature.html

[CincyDem]

1. The issue with Ohio is that the state is fundamentally Republican.

We win the state when we get strong turnout in the urban areas. Rural folks NEVER stay home on election day...NEVER.

And while the Alt-Right is polling poorly in the burbs, the Right is still doing just fine. The conversation in the suburbs here is that now it's even more important to vote for the core republicans (Portman, Chabot, local R's) because a complete D "takeover" will also strengthen the Alt-right and traditional republicans will be squeezed out of the middle.

Don't know if that logic makes sense but that's the talk at the suburban pools and bbq's these days. Trump is toast in the Butler County but Portman is likely to hold his seat (if Butler County continues to be the bellwether for the state that it's been for several elections past).

[No Vested Interest]

2. Huge problem is getting good people to run as Democrats against the

entrenched and well-funded Republicans.

Big example is 2nd Congressional district where a no-name and disinterested person named William Smith won the Dem. primary despite running a no-show candidacy two years ago.

So even if this were to be a Democratic year overall, Dems can't win with a "candidate" who doesn't even bother to campaign.

And talk about gerrymandering- I live well within the city of Cincinnati, but my state senator is located in the next (ex-urban) county in a town named Springboro, which I have no idea where that is. I question how she can adequately represent an urban population, which must constitute a large proportion of her constituents.