DeWine doesn’t get GOP endorsement, but neither does the other guy

Former U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine will not get Republican endorsement as party decides to stay out of the race — for now.

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By William Hershey, Staff Writer 7:29 PM Wednesday, December 9, 2009

COLUMBUS — It appears likely that Cedarville’s Mike DeWine, a former two-term U.S. senator, will have to try to make his political comeback without a primary endorsement from the Ohio Republican Party.

The party’s screening committee isn’t recommending — at least for now — between Mike DeWine and Delaware County Prosecutor Dave Yost in the May 2010 primary for attorney general, Ohio Republican Chairman Kevin DeWine, Mike DeWine’s second cousin, said on Wednesday, Dec. 9. The winner will face Democratic incumbent Richard Cordray. The committee met by phone this week.

The state GOP already endorsed in two contested primaries – former U.S. Rep. Rob Portman of the Cincinnati area over Cleveland-area car dealer Tom Ganley for U.S. Senate and state Sen. Jon Husted, R-Kettering, over former Ashtabula County Auditor Sandra O’Brien for Secretary of State.

Montgomery County Republican Chairman Gregory Gantt, who personally supports Mike DeWine, said a non-endorsement might keep peace between DeWine supporters and those in the party, including some in the Tea Party movement, who want new candidates.

Republican Rob Scott of Kettering, president of the Dayton Tea Party, said the group doesn’t endorse candidates but that “I believe we need fresh faces.”

Mike DeWine, who lost a bid for a third U.S. Senate term in 2006 to Democrat Sherrod Brown, drew the wrath of some conservatives for a variety of reasons — including being part of the so-called “Gang of 14.” The bipartisan group of senators worked out compromises that resulted in the confirmation of some, but not all, of President George W. Bush’s judicial appointments.

Yost said he was disappointed but would continue working.

Mike DeWine said he was not disappointed.

“My focus in this race is articulating a vision for the attorney general’s office, what I want to do with that office and raising money so I can get that message across to people,” Mike DeWine said.

Mark Caleb Smith, director of the Center for Political Studies at Cedarville University, said in an e-mail that the race reflects what’s going on nationally.

“I think we are witnessing a battle between old-line moderates and conservatives for the control of the GOP,” Smith said.

Kevin DeWine said he was not worried.

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