Ohio Democratic Party should keep eye on ball

The surprise resignation of Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Dennis White is the kind of distraction the party does not need as it prepares for the 2006 statewide election. Indeed, it's the kind of distraction the people of Ohio could do without, given the importance of the election next year to the future of the Buckeye State.
It isn't only "coingate," the Ohio Bureau of Worker's Compensation investment scandal, that looms large as an issue. Here are some other important issues that demand a full airing on the campaign trail: Ohio's anemic economy; the loss of more than 200,000 high-paying manufacturing jobs over the past several years; the uncertain future of some Delphi Corp. plants in the state; the push by General Motors Corp. to cut operating costs; and, the failure of the General Assembly to develop a funding mechanism for primary and secondary education that passes constitutional muster and to adequately fund higher education.
From the vantage point of the Mahoning Valley, the transition from an old economy based on traditional manufacturing to a new economy based on high technology cannot be accomplished without the direct participation of state government. That is why we have been strong supporters of Gov. Bob Taft's Third Frontier initiative. It is designed to make Ohio a major competitor in the national high-tech sweepstakes.
Given those issues, the need for a vibrant opposition party has never been more important. Republicans have controlled state government for more than a decade, but its dwindling political fortunes as a result of "coingate" -- the mastermind of this $50 million scam is Republican bigwig Tom Noe of Toledo -- and other pay-to-play allegations have put Ohio in the national spotlight.
Governor's plea
On the front page of Sunday's Vindicator, a Washington Post dispatch provided a succinct analysis of what is occurring politically in Ohio. The no-contest plea by the governor to accepting secret gifts from Noe and others -- Taft was fined $4,000 -- has become the topic of several national publications, including the Post, the Wall Street Journal and Time magazine, but because of the what's at stake, the election next year is being viewed in a national context.
As the Post story put it, "Although Noe protests he is innocent, investigators are asking how far the growing scandal will go, and political consultants are measuring the potential fallout in a crucial Midwestern state controlled by the GOP. Historically, power has been split between the major parties in Ohio, but Republicans have won the past two presidential elections, and taken hold of both U.S. Senate seats and the state Legislature in recent years. Republicans have occupied the governor's office since 1990."
But this dominance does not automatically spell trouble for the Republican candidates seeking statewide offices in 2006.
The GOP has been emboldened by the defeat of four statewide issues on the Nov. 8 general election ballot that were portrayed by Democrats as being essential to cleaning up politics in Ohio. Voters didn't think so. Whatever the reason for the rejection, the fact remains that it's not enough for Democrats to say that change is necessary. They have to prove they can be better stewards of the public trust and the public treasury.
That's why the Ohio Democratic Party should quickly settle on a new chairman. The development of a statewide campaign takes time and money.
White's resignation is effective Dec. 1. His replacement should be in place before the end of the year.