“Today, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on District of Columbia v. Heller, a landmark case for all Americans who believe as I do that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to keep and bear arms. I am proud to have joined in an amicus brief to the Court calling for a ruling in keeping with the clear intent of our Founding Fathers, which ensures the Second Amendment rights of the residents of District of Columbia are reaffirmed.”

 http://race42008.com/2008/03/18/mccain-on-dc-gun-ban-case/ Kavon W. Nikrad  3-18-2008

The lengthy Democratic primary contest bodes well for Republican chances of holding the White House, a new poll suggests.

Among Obama supporters, 20 percent said they would vote for Sen. John McCain of Arizona, the Republican nominee, if Clinton beats their candidate for the nomination. Among Clinton supporters, 19 percent said they would support McCain in November if Obama is the Democratic nominee.

http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPolitics.asp?Page=/Politics/archive/200803/POL20080321a.html  Fred Lucas  3-21-2008

The filing deadline to challenge Mark Pryor for his US Senate seat was yesterday, and the Arkansas Republican Party announced that nobody will be running against him.

The GOP begins 2008 at a stark disadvantage already, having to defend 23 Senate seats; the Dems, 12. Except that we are not putting up a challenger at all in AR, DE, or RI, bringing that last number down to 9. Way to go, Republicans. (And where is Mike Huckabee when you really need him?)

[UPDATE: Steve Kirby, former Lt. Gov in South Dakota has now announced he will not run against Tim Johnson, in essence giving Johnson a free ride to re-election. This is a seat we should have been massively targeting… drop that number down to 8.]

http://race42008.com/2008/03/11/no-challenger-for-pryors-senate-seat-in-arkansas/   Matt C  10-11-2008

There were more defections in the Cuyahoga County Republican Party (RPCC) on election day.

The latest party jumpers are as follows:

• Mayor Jeff Lansky / City of Maple Hts
• Mayor Kevin Patton / City of Solon
• Mayor Sam Alai / City of Broadview Hts
• Mayor Kathy Mulcahy / Orange Village
• Judge Kristin Sweeney / Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court

It is reported by the Plain Dealer that some of the mayors claim after soul searching, disagreement with President Bush and a desire to support Hillary as being the reason for the party switch

http://kingsrightsite.blogspot.com/2008/03/more-party-jumping-in-cuyahoga-county.html   King 3-10-2008

43% of white evangelical Christian voters in Ohio backed Democrats in the March presidential primary. Ohio evangelical voters from both parties told pollsters that jobs and the economy were their top concerns – eclipsing abortion and gay marriage even among Republicans.

 The Zogby poll indicated that 14% of voters in this year’s Ohio Democrat primary – 300,000 people – were white evangelical Christians, as we 39% of those voting in the GOP primary.

In Ohio, Hillary had 57% support of the white Democrat evangelicals, while Obama received 35% - McCain got 41% and Huckabee 42%.

http://blog.cleveland.com/openers/2008/03/evangelicals_open_to_democrats.html  Sabrina Eaton  3-10-2008

Rasmussen moved Ohio from Leans Democrat to a Toss-Up in the Electoral College projections on the Rasmussen Reports Balance of Power Calculator.  McCain leads Obama by a statistically insignificant percentage point  and also leads Hillary by three.  Ohio now joins three other states in the Toss-Up category – Colorado, Missouri and Nevada.

 The early battlegrounds lie in 8 states that are either pure Toss-Up or just slightly leaning to one party or another.  Florida (27) Ohio (20) Virginia (13) Missouri (11) Colorado (9) Iowa (7) Nevada (5) New Mexico (5)

 http://race42008.com/2008/03/10/rasmussen-moves-ohio-to-toss-up/  KavonW. Nikrad  3-10-2008

On Saturday, McCain picked up all nine delegates awarded by the GOP in American Samoa, as well as the nine GOP delegates from the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Republican Party members in Puerto Rico awarded all 20 delegates at stake Sunday to Arizona Sen. John McCain, who has vowed to help resolve Washington’s complicated relationship with the U.S. Caribbean territory.

McCain’s total:  996 delegates. Mike Huckabee trails with 254 delegates.

http://race42008.com/2008/02/24/mccain-wins-puerto-rico/  2-24-2008  LJ

A few of the names being bandied about for McCain’s VP are politicians in their 40s and 50s, including Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, 47; Gov. Charlie Crist of Florida, 51, whose well-timed endorsement helped Mr. McCain win the crucial swing-state’s primary; Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina, 47; and Rob Portman, 52, a former Ohio congressman and director of the Office of Management and Budget.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23317768/   2-24-2008  Michael Cooper

Governor Mike Huckabee will be in Dayton, Ohio on February 26th.  His only Dayton appearance will be at the Living Word Church, in Vandalia, from 6:30pm to 8pm.