A PICTURE THAT "OUGHT" TO BE UNSETTLING TO THE RE-ELECT GIBBS TO CONGRESS CAMPAIGN

The Stark  County Political Report (SCPR, The Report) does not often get enthusiastic about specific Stark County political campaigns.

Slowly but surely it has been dawning on this blogger that in the candidacy of Democrat Ken Harbaugh,  the 7th Congressional District may have a candidate that may be earning the trust of voters that he will actually exemplify and produce on his "Country over Party" campaign promise.

Evidence of that commitment came on Saturday morning (June 30, 2018) at the Stark County Democratic Party headquarters located on Easton Street (close to township hall) in Plain Township.

Here you have Harbaugh with sitting Democratic congressman Set Moulton of Massachusetts 6th Congressional District (see Political article on Moulton [LINK])in Stark County to boost Harbaugh's candidacy and the SCPR question posed is:

(paraphrased) "Ken, even though you tout yourself as a "Country over Party" congressional candidate, it appears you have the full-throated support of organized Democrats?"

The Harbaugh then Moulton response: (1 min, 21 sec)



In the above-cited Political article on Moulton, here is language which explains why he was eager to come to Ohio to campaign for Ken Harbaugh:

This conversation—reported here for the first time—is precisely the type of talk that’s currently causing disgusted eye-rolling among significantly more tenured Democrats in Massachusetts and Washington. They dismiss Moulton, albeit never for attribution, as gratingly ambitious, a grandstanding backbencher who has advocated for the ouster of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to make way for new, younger standard-bearers—like himself. They see Moulton’s message of country over party as not so much admirable as annoying ... . (capitalization added for emphasis sake)

There was a staunch Republican everyday Stark County voter in attendance at Saturday's "Harbaugh canvassing Stark County event" who told the SCPR that he is a former Bob Gibbs voter who is convinced that military veteran Harbaugh is what he says he is in terms placing USA interests over those of the Democratic Political Party and therefore plans to vote for Ken Harbaugh in this fall's election.

As far as other candidates for public office are concerned, there have been and will continue to be instances in which it has been/is rather obvious whom among the candidates for public office The Report thinks would be the better office holder.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, The Report stops short of outright endorsement of candidates for elective office because this blog cherishes a process in which voters study the candidates and makes an "overall, this 'individual' candidate merits my vote" decision without deference to political party affiliation and/or the opinion of political commentators.

Most recently, the strong SCPR preference throughout the campaign for Stark County prosecutor was Republican Jeff Jakmides.

Before him, it was former long term Democrat turned political independent (May, 2015) Tom Bernabei in his run to unseat two-term (seeking a third term) Democratic mayor William J. Healy, II.

Other campaigns on which the SCPR had a strong preference have been:

• Democrat Chryssa Hartnett over Republican gubernatorial appointee Curtis Werren for judge in the Stark County Court of Common Pleas, and
• Republican Larry Dordea for sheriff in the Dordea/Maier campaign

For now (remember there are little over four months still left in the campaign) readers can add another to the SCPR preferred list (emphasizing:  for now); namely, Democrat Ken Harbaugh over Republican incumbent Bob Gibbs for Ohio's 7th Congressional District which includes Stark County.

The Stark County component (being far and away the largest voter population base) of the 7th Congressional District may well determine whom is elected in November.

Moreover, readers of the SCPR (going on its 11th year of publication) know that this blogger has no attachment whatsoever to either the Republican or Democratic political parties.

Accordingly, Harbaugh's "Country over Party" campaign theme is highly appealing to this blogger as was  George Bush's "compassionate Conservatism" and Barrack Obama's "Yes, We Can" themes.

The SCPR deems the Bush and Obama appeals as not being realized and is skeptical that Harbaugh can over the long haul deliver on his "Country over Party" appeal.  But as the saying "hope springs eternal," The Report is hopeful that he will deliver, if elected.

Readers of the SCPR can rest assured that if Ken Harbaugh is elected, this blog will focus on holding him accountable for his promise to deprioritize political party affiliation like The Report does on every other elected Stark County connected politician.

The Report thinks the most compelling/devastating problem in American politics these days is the rise of virulent political partisan interests in actual practice (as compared to political rhetoric) at all levels of American government but nowadays especially from within the halls of Congress and sadly in an "over-the-top" fashion emanating from the presidency.

While not overtly political, the United States Supreme Court is fast becoming a battleground of politically correct conservative versus politically correct liberal judicial philosophy.

Narrow, special interests are taking center stage and America as "the great melting pot" of "come let us reason together" is vanishing.

One the biggest disappointments in officials representing Stark County in the United States of America House of Representatives to the SCPR has been Republican congressman Jim Renacci and his political ballyhooing of his participation in a bipartisan "Breakfast Club (LINK)."

Take a look at this website which reports on Renacci's voting record (LINK).

Bipartisan?

Hardly!

The Renacci "Breakfast Club" rhetoric was, let's see (searching for a contemporary popular in scme cireles phrase): "a campaign hoax?"

While the SCPR is open to hearing the Bob Gibbs case as to why he is the better "Country over Party" candidate in this years 7th District election, it is hard to see how he can pull that off given his record in Congress over his years being there.

So far, the Gibbs campaign has blown the SCPR off.

Nevertheless, the SCPR remains open to posing the telltale question to Congressman Gibbs and if  he  can make a convincing case, The Report is open to shifting from its current bias in favor of Harbaugh to one of "you [District 7 voter] 'pick-em' stance, the SCPR is comfortable with either candidate prioritizing country/community good over his political party association.

Wouldn't that be a delight?

Voters having to pick which of two candidates puts country [community] over partisan/philosophical political interests?

The Gibbs campaign has already denied the SCPR journalist access to one of his Town Hall meetings (Shelby, Ohio in April) and has been largely unresponsive to The Report's endeavor to communicate with the candidate.

Whether anyone agrees with the SCPR or not, this blogger is known for a no-nonsense reporting/political analysis style which insecure politicians seek to avoid at all costs.

One local example that comes to mind is former Democratic state Representative Stephen Slesnick when he ran for Stark County commissioner in 2016 against Republican Bill Smith.

Slesnick spent eight years in Columbus achieving virtually nothing for the well-being of Stark County BUT he was a "good-for-the-party" Democrat.  Along the way he repeatedly refused to answer e-mailed questions posed to him by the SCPR.

So when he was term limited out of the Ohio House at the end of 2016, he ran for county commissioner.

A local civic organization sponsored a "debate" between the two, which event Slesnick threatened to pull out of if The Stark County Political Report was permitted to videotape the joint Slesnick/Smith appearance.

Get this.  There were to be no questions from the SCPR, ONLY videotaping which The Report subsequently did a political assessment of and Slesnick threatens to pull out.

Apparently, the Bob Gibbs campaign has a Slesnick-esque fear of having to deal with The Stark County Political Report's incisive questioning in quest of public official accountability upon which voters can make a determination as to whether or not they think he merits their votes.

Hopefully, for the sake of 7th Congressional District voters, Gibbs will change his ways and open up not only to the SCPR but all media so that district voters can be fully informed as to whether or not he fits their values as they cast their votes on November 6, 2018.

In the meantime, the Harbaugh campaign is "making [political] hay, while "the sun shines!"

And Saturday was a brilliantly sunshining day with temperatures hovering in the 90s as Ken Harbaugh brought his "Country over Party" campaign to Stark County.  Upwards of 50 supporters gathered at the Stark County Democratic Party headquarters a Oakwood Square shopping center located in Plain Township.

The SCPR was there (as it will be for any Stark County connected political campaign if allowed/invited) in order to provide Stark County voters with a "hair down" look at the candidate and his/her supporters.

First up from the SCPR time at the Harbaugh "canvass Stark County voters" event, is this video of an exchange with group of four specially "campaign-adorned" college aged youth prepared to stomp for Harbaugh in Stark County on Saturday.



Next up is the The Report's video of Harbaugh (introduced by Bryan Haynes [the district leader for the part of District 7 which includes Stark County] followed supporter Massachusetts 6th Congressional Congressman Seth Moulton interview with the SCPR after having addressed the upwards of 50 canvassers present at Saturday's event:



Finally is this "entire" video of Harbaugh and Moulton interview following their addressing the crowd:



Although the SCPR thinks Harbaugh's "Country over Party" is authentic and will be fleshed out as a sitting congressman, The Report does not wear political blinders and between now and November 6th will be looking for signs and symbols that might bring the apparent authenticity into question.

And, as stated above, a Harbaugh victory in November will not put SCPR accountability in abeyance.  Readers can depend on follow up on Harbaugh promises.

A vibrant, probing press is essential to holding politicians to their promises.

Political accountability is the currency of The Stark County Political Report.