Social hour, followed by insults

Jean Schmidt and Bob McEwen will debate April 19. Or McEwen will debate himself. (Read to the end.)

The details, from the Anderson Township Republican Club:

March 25, 2006—The Anderson Township Republican Club has scheduled a debate between Congresswoman Jean Schmidt and former Congressman Bob McEwen on April 19, 2006 at 7:00 p.m. at the Mercy Healthplex Facility at Five Mile and State Roads in Anderson Township. There will also be social hour beforehand starting at 6:00 p.m. Mercy Healthplex is just across the street from the Anderson Mercy Hospital.

Jean Schmidt and Bob McEwen are both seeking the nomination in the May 7, 2006 (sic - May 2) primary election to run as the endorsed Republican candidate in the November 7, 2006 general election for the Ohio Second District Congressional seat. “There is an uneasy feeling among Ohio Second District Republicans because the last primary election to fill the seat vacated by Rob Portman did not produce a winning candidate who received more than 50% of the vote.” said Anderson Township Republican Central Committee Co-Chair Mike Jordan. “Our hope is that this primary will finally settle the question as to who Republicans want as their candidate and ultimately representing them in Congress.”


The previous primary election on June 14, 2005 had eleven candidates seeking the Republican Second District Congressional nomination. Jean Schmidt won the nomination by finishing first but receiving only 31% of the Republican vote. The other candidates received a combined 69% of the Republican vote with former Congressman Bob McEwen finishing a close second. Russ Jackson, President of the Anderson Township Republican Club, thinks this primary will serve as an unofficial run-off election of the two candidates that finished at the top in the last primary. “Eleven Republican candidates running in the last primary was simply too many with most of the candidates holding very similar positions, so how do you choose?” asked Jackson. “One thing is for sure, this time one Republican is going to finish the primary election with more than 50% of the vote.”

Duffy Beischel, a former president of the Anderson Township Republican Club, has served as moderator for the previous two Republican Congressional debates sponsored by the club. “Trying to moderate the last debate with eleven candidates was very difficult. Members of the audience did not get a fair opportunity to ask their questions,” commented Beischel. “With only two hours for the debate and each of the eleven candidates making opening remarks and having to answer each question, time did not allow for many questions.”

As with previous debates, each candidate will be allowed opening remarks followed by questions submitted earlier that evening by audience members. The club is also going to try another method of submitting questions in advance of the debate by using email and fax. If anyone wants to submit a question for both candidates, they can email it to andersontownship@aim.com or fax the question toll-free to 866-278-0157. The questions will not be given to the candidates in advance. “With two major candidates running for the nomination this time, there will be plenty of time for Second District residents to seek answers from candidates,” said Beischel.

But there is still uncertainty if both candidates will be in attendance. “Originally, we had scheduled the debate for our regular meeting on April 5, but Jean’s staff said she was in Washington on that date and they gave us April 19 as a date she could make it,” said Beischel. “Now other staff members are giving us various reasons why she cannot or will not attend. But they gave us that date, we’re moving forward, Bob McEwen will be in attendance, and we hope Jean will decide to participate.”