Columbus: Sparks flew Thursday when the Ohio Associated Press sat the heads of Ohio’s Republican and Democratic parties behind microphones in a room full of reporters.
In an annual gathering that brings Ohio’s political shot-callers before the media, Republican Matt Borges and Democrat David Pepper — chairs of the respective state parties — fielded questions about Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s presidential run and each other’s candidates.
Amid a shotgun series of questions, Borges endorsed a Democrat for U.S. Senate before admitting to smoking marijuana, though it’s been “many, many years” and he “cannot remember the last time.”
The quirky question about smoking pot, posed by a Dayton reporter as state lawmakers study medical marijuana, turned up positive results for most of the day’s distinguished guests, including Democrats Sen. Joe Schiavoni of Youngstown and Rep. Fred Strahorn of Dayton, and Republicans Dave Yost, Jon Husted and Mary Taylor — the state’s financial watchdog, elections chief and lieutenant governor, respectively.
Pepper, among the few who made no admission to smoking pot, saw through Borges’ endorsement of Democrat P.G. Sittenfeld.
Borges, in backing a Democrat, was merely stoking a primary election fire between Sittenfeld and former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland. The winner will face the GOP’s candidate, U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, in November.
Kasich down south
Pepper went after Kasich, who is endorsed by Borges and the Ohio Republican Party.
Pepper reminded Borges that Kasich came in second in New Hampshire this week. Donald Trump, who doesn’t play nice with the Republican establishment, won handily.
The Republican Party, wary of Trump and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, has been waiting for a moderate candidate to emerge. After a strong finish this week in New Hampshire, Kasich surfaced as the potential “big tent” Republican, able to coalesce Blue Dog Democrats and moderate conservatives.
But Trump is polling at 36 percent and Kasich at 2 percent in South Carolina, the next contest. And Borges conceded that the coming weeks, with primaries across the conservative South, may not go well for Kasich’s moderate message.
Pepper liked the idea of Trump taking the nomination, despite detesting the billionaire’s crude remarks.
“It hands the election to Bernie Sanders or Hillary Clinton,” said Pepper, whose party hasn’t endorsed either candidate.
Dealing with loss
Borges, who grew a beard while campaigning for Kasich in New Hampshire, played along, first considering what would happen if Kasich doesn’t win.
After “crying like a baby for a day,” Borges thought the outcome might not be so bad.
“So let’s play the hypothetical game,” Borges said. “If Donald Trump is the nominee, he’ll beat Bernie Sanders.”
Borges turned the table on Pepper, whose state party doesn’t typically endorse presidential primary candidates.
“I wouldn’t want to be in David’s shoes. You have to pick between the candidate under FBI investigation or the socialist,” Borges said of Clinton, a former secretary of state under investigation for using a personal email server for top-secret messages, and Sanders, an Independent senator from Vermont.
For all that separates them, Borges and Pepper shared a common concern: Disenchanted voters, tired of the two-party political system. Those voters are supportive of outsiders like Sanders, Trump or Tea Party favorite Cruz, a freshman senator from Texas who regularly refers to party politicians as the “Washington cartel.”
Doug Livingston can be reached at 330-996-3792 or dlivingston@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow on Twitter: @DougLivingstonABJ.