DeWine Fulton County Debacle Reax

Last night, in a humiliation the likes of which I don’t believe has occurred in the three decades-plus I have followed Ohio politics, incumbent Senator Mike Dewine was bounced out of Fulton County’s US Senate endorsement vote on the first ballot, finishing behind both Bill Pierce and David Smith. Pierce and Smith ultimately both won ratings as “Qualified,” as neither candidate could muster the necessary two-thirds majority on the second ballot.

Reaction and reporting from a few Ohio blogs has been interesting:

• Bill Sloat at Cleveland Openers — “Barber, who has headed the Northwest Ohio county’s Republican organization since the early 1980s, said DeWine looks to be in trouble with the party’s conservative base. She said she didn’t realize how deep the senator’s problems are until his defeat.” Now we do.
• Right on the Right has endorsed Pierce — “He obviously does not support illegal immigration, he believes in the 10th amendment, and he believes in the right to life. These are only the start of his Conservative stances. This is the type of man Conservatives can rally behind and be proud in ….. I support Bill Pierce for Republican Candidate for U.S. Senate representing Ohio.” You go, guy.
• S.O.B. Alliance member Newshound — The conservatives are roaring from Archbold to Metamora and Fayette to Delta this morning after last night’s Republican endorsement meeting in Wauseon. Roar on.