Greens' Candidate Announces; Taft Rating at New Low
By the Columbus Bureau
Bob Fitrakis of the Green Party announced his candidacy for governor in Columbus last week.
Fitrakis said as governor, he would promote free and fair elections, address hemorrhaging of jobs and do everything possible to bring the Ohio National Guard home from Iraq. |
"I think half the people in the state aren't going to vote in this election unless they see some new ideas," said Fitrakis, who is a political scientist, lawyer, editor of an alternative newspaper, the Columbus Free Press, and author of two books on election fraud.
Fitrakis is campaigning with fellow Greens, Anita Rios and Tim Kettler, who are running for lieutenant governor and secretary of state, respectively.
The candidates have the endorsement of the Green Party of Ohio, pending approval at its 2006 state convention.
The party has nine local chapters, including one in Dayton, and 1,429 members registered on its Web site, ohiogreens.org.
Rios is a full-time activist and former social worker from Toledo and Kettler is a small-business owner from Coshocton County.
Fitrakis said as governor, he would promote free and fair elections, address hemorrhaging of jobs and do everything possible to bring the Ohio National Guard home from Iraq.
The 800-member Libertarian party is endorsing Cleveland-area economist Bill Peirce for governor. He announced his candidacy in August.
Taft rating at new low
A Zogby International online poll released last week shows Gov. Bob Taft's approval rating in the single digits. |
A Zogby International online poll released last week shows Gov. Bob Taft's approval rating in the single digits.
Of 698 respondents, 6.5 percent said they view the governor very or somewhat favorably, and 3.3 percent rated his job performance as "excellent" or "good."
Sixty-one percent responded that Taft should have resigned after pleading no contest to misdemeanor ethics charges in August for accepting gifts and golf outings without proper disclosure.
The poll, conducted online from Nov. 15-17, had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.
Taft's spokesman, among others, have criticized the online poll.
"Gov. Taft does not govern by the polls, especially one that does not appear to be scientific," said Taft spokesman Mark Rickel, noting the anonymity of online polling.
"Zogby has been working for years to perfect interactive polling," Zogby spokesman Fritz Wenzel said.
