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Brunner’s on a jolting campaign trip
On the side...
Twitter, Twitter: Rob Portman, Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, wrote on his Twitter account that he “spoke to a record crowd” at last week’s Columbiana County Lincoln Day dinner.
He wasn’t even close. The crowd at the Elks Hall in Salem was 240, a sell-out for the facility, said Columbiana County GOP Chairman Dave Johnson. But previous dinners at Timberlanes, now closed, attracted crowds of up to 700.
Getting 240 was a struggle. About two weeks before the dinner, Johnson wrote in an e-mail to party faithful: “At a time when the Democrats are literally taking this nation down a path to fiscal suicide, jeopardizing the future of every soul on this list...you would think that the Republican Party in every little town in America would be flourishing! Yet the local party is scrambling to even get folks to commit” to the Portman dinner.
Afterward, Johnson acknowledged he “had to scold the rank and file,” but “they came through.”
For a campaign that needs to count every penny, $2,050 is the right price for a mode of transportation to get around Ohio.
That’s how much the Senate campaign of Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner paid for a 1991 International school bus with 150,000 miles on it.
“The Courage Express” is not even close to the luxury buses many politicians who campaign across the state typically use.
In comparison, Rob Portman, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, is using an RV with bunk beds for campaign travel.
Don’t ask if there’s a place to sleep on The Courage Express. The bus doesn’t even have a bathroom.
The campaign put in tables and turned some of the seats around to have workspace or at least a place to attempt to work.
The campaign painted the bus silver, stenciled “The Courage Express” on it, fixed it up and are traveling around the state in it at least till the May 4 primary.
Brunner, a Democrat, said others on the road have given the bus the once-over more than once wondering what it is.
Think of it as the Partridge Family bus without the multiple colors and music.
The campaign staff, volunteers and supporters aren’t singing “I Think I Love You” or “I’ll Meet You Halfway” — or at least they didn’t when I took a brief trip on the bus the other day.
Brunner said the bus needs new shock absorbers. The way we were bouncing around when the bus was moving, I don’t think it has any shock absorbers.
Good luck drinking a cup of coffee.
After a few minutes, I gave up writing notes because my pen was going everywhere. Thankfully I had my tape recorder.
I can only imagine what it’s like to ride the bus for any length of time.
“Think about the memories people have of school buses,” Brunner said.
I can recall some school-bus memories, but none of them are good.
And somehow the old school bus bought on eBay from the Licking County public school system for $2,050 works for this campaign.
“It’s a little homespun,” Brunner said. “People like that personal touch. We’re getting a good reaction.”
Brunner faces Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher in the Democratic primary.
Fisher has raised considerably more money than she.
Fisher is airing commercials on television stations throughout the state. Brunner might be able to do some TV spots, but not nearly as many as Fisher.
Brunner needs something to attract attention to her campaign. The old school bus certainly helps. It’s quirky, but not too quirky. Be forewarned that if you go for a ride, it’s a bumpy one.
Just because Fisher has more money and is leading in the polls [though nearly all are within the margin of error and there are many undecided voters], he is expecting a very close primary.
That’s why Fisher is campaigning all over the state.
He’s just not doing it in a 19-year-old former school bus — and it’s doubtful he’s singing any Partridge Family songs.