The Latest from Kevin Coughlin on the Summit County GOP Chair Fight

Here is a brief update on where things stand with the drive to elect a new chairman of the Summit County Republican Party:

1) The response to the website has been very strong and I have a feeling that our precinct committee recruitment drive is going to be much easier than any the party has ever had. At this point, our core group of team leaders tops 100 and prominent Republicans are joining the New Summit Republican effort each day. From time to time, we will make announcements via http://www.newsummitrepublicans.com regarding endorsements of the campaign.

2) That said, the hard part of this effort is going to be constantly dealing with Alex Arshinkoff's misinformation machine. Here's a sample of what we're hearing from inside and outside his operation:

- "Coughlin wants to install Dem-loving Pete Kostoff, an attorney at Roetzel and Andress as chairman."

This is flat out wrong. Pete Kostoff definately wants to see a new chairman, but is not part of this effort. In addition, I have no interest in serving as chair myself.

Our team will put forward a candidate for chairman at a time of our choosing and it will be a team decision.

- "Coughlin's campaign finance reports show questionable expenses too"

Board of Elections director Bryan Williams spent the whole day Tuesday at Rep HQ (not at his office doing his $90,000 taxpayer funded job) pouring over my campaign finance records. Here's what they came up with:

$2,969.69 "tab" at Portage Country Club? WRONG. That was the bill for a fundraising event held there in the summer of 2006 for my re-election. The Portage CC expenses listed for Arshinkoff on the party report were the aggregate of MONTHLY bills from Portage CC.

$7,995 for Firestone Country Club? FOR MY ANNUAL GOLF FUNDRAISER!

Mileage for campaign use? Sure, we do that for both me and the staff. It's fair and it's for campaign use and non-reimbursed state business. I have done a lot of traveling throughout the state over the last two years. Often on these trips, state business is mixed with campaign business. While the rules would allow me to seek reimbursement from the state, I voluntarily have the campaign reimburse to avoid the appearance of impropriety.

OSU Football Tickets? Yes, like every other member of the legislature since the beginning of time. I get to maybe a game a year. The other tickets are donated to charities for auction or given to volunteers or donors. I would note that two tickets were donated to the 2006 Summit County Republican Oktoberfest as a raffle prize.

Membership at BJ's Wholesale Club? Worth the break we get on parade candy, beverages for walkers, and HQ supplies.

Meal expenses? We appreciate our staff, donors, and volunteers. You walk with me, you probably eat with me too. They keep coming back and we win elections.

Alex and his crew are welcomed to examine my campaign finance reports as much as they like. In doing so, perhaps they will learn something about winning elections.

- "The New Summit Republicans are a Rebellion of One. Nobody else thinks Alex is doing a bad job."

If they'd like to keep thinking that, be my guest. We have a large team and it's growing every day. But if Alex wants to make this a battle between the two of us, I'll take the arrows.

Alex wants to draw us out and have us lay out our team now. We will be strategically releasing the names of prominent Republicans who endorse the effort, and we will do that at a time of our choosing. And he'll have to wait until January for our full slate of central committee candidates. That's when they will be filed.

- "Kevin is just doing this because he's upset he was not promoted for statewide office in 2006."

This is an absurd notion. At no time did I ever consider seeking statewide office in 2006. I enjoy my work in the Senate and felt that I was not yet ready to seek an office at that level. In addition, 2006 was sure to be an awful year for our party and I don't like to lose.

I fully support Mary Taylor as Auditor State and am thrilled that she was elected. I believe that she embodies the kind of candidate we need to be putting forward - young, professional, competent, forward thinking, and able to make people hopeful about the future in this state and our party's ability to lead it..

3) I have become involved in this effort because I sincerely believe that the party has slipped into a dismal state. It's nice that gobs of money are raised each year. But when over $500,000 goes into operations and the bulk of the rest is spent in Washington and Columbus opening doors for the chairman's lobbying business, our candidates at home get the shaft. The results over the last view years show that. ( Link )

I've been winning tough elections in Summit County for the last decade. One of things I've learned is that when pitches are thrown at your head, you have to stay in that batter's box. I will stay in the batter's box until this project's conclusion.

Alex and his associates will try to change the subject and divert attention away from key issues of contention. A row with Alex can often bring out the worst in people. We will conduct ourselves with as much class as possible in an effort like this. We will remain focused on the misplaced priorities, the losing streak, and the treatment of officeholders, candidates, activists,, and community organizations. On those debate points, we will win every time.