Ohio GOP touts unity to defeat Obama in Nov.
By Marc Kovac
COLUMBUS
Kevin DeWine officially stepped down as the chairman of the Ohio Republican Party on Friday, capping months of in-party feuding between his supporters and those of Gov. John Kasich.
He was replaced by his predecessor, longtime GOP Chairman Bob Bennett, during a meeting of the Republican State Central and Executive Committee, where both men pledged to support efforts to unseat President Barack Obama.
“We have to put aside the differences and the rifts that exist within this party,” DeWine said. “That’s part of what is going on here today.”
Bennett later added, “Make no mistake about it. We are united. Outsiders chattering about Republican unity in Ohio need not be concerned. President Barack Obama unites us, believe me.”
Bennett served as Ohio Republican Party Chairman from 1988-2009, coming into that position at a time when the GOP held no statewide executive offices and were in the minority in the legislature and the state’s congressional delegation. Within six years of his election, Republicans held majorities in all of those offices.
DeWine was elected chairman in 2009 following a term as deputy chairman under Bennett and after the 2008 election, when Obama was elected and Democrats took four of Ohio’s five statewide offices.
DeWine oversaw the dramatic GOP rebound last year, when Republicans won all of those posts, plus added to their majority in the Ohio Senate and regained control of the Ohio House.
But there was friction between DeWine and Kasich supporters, with the governor and others making it clear that they wanted a change in leadership. Battles ensued behind the scene, culminating in last month’s primary election, where Kasich supporters seemingly won enough central committee seats to oust DeWine.
Last week, DeWine announced his resignation, saying he would not put his “personal interests over our party’s best interests.”
He reiterated those sentiments Friday, urging Ohio Republicans to come together to support GOP candidates in November.
“The people in this room are not your political enemies,” DeWine said. “Our political enemies, our political adversaries, our political opponents are the people who want to continue to support and advocate for the policies of the president that you and I know deep down in our heart are wrong for this country. Don’t lose sight of that.”
Bennett said he expects to seek a full two-year term next year and will work on a process for determining who leads the party thereafter. The latter, he said, likely will be someone who has the support of the governor and other statewide office-holders.
“I’ve had a good meeting with Gov. Kasich, and we’ve known each other for long enough that we’re going to have a good working relationship,” he said. “And we’re going to support the governor’s agenda.”