Politics & Government

Ohio Democrats: Senate Bill 5 Fight Will Galvanize the Party This November

Northeast Ohio Democrats surveyed by Patch were unanimous in believing last year's Senate Bill 5 fight will help Barack Obama reclaim the White House.

Northeast Ohio Democrats believe last year's fight over a Republican-led effort to clamp down on union rights will help Barack Obama reclaim the White House.

agreed in a survey that the Senate Bill 5 fight, which culminated in a decisive victory for union interests in Ohio last year, will galvanize party members and help Obama's re-election fight in this crucial swing state.

Not one Democrat surveyed thought 2011's union fight would hurt Obama or the party in this year's election.

Find out what's happening in Solonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Senate Bill 5 effort was led by Gov. John Kasich, a Republican rising star who took a major hit after having his signature initiative defeated in November 2011.

Democrats surveyed said Kasich's over-reaching helped organize Democrats, and that much of that organization is ready to fight for Obama.

Find out what's happening in Solonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"The actions of the Governor and certain members of the General Assembly came off as extreme and heavy-handed as was evidenced by the voter reaction," said one influencer surveyed.

One influence said that two groups, teachers and safety force employees, will likely be more engaged and active now after staving off the anti-union initiatives last year.

One influencer suggested that Senate Bill 5 was a precursor to this election's debates over economy inequality.

"Maybe people will realize that they have to vote in order to protect the middle class," the influence said.

What do you think? Do you think the Senate Bill 5 battle will help President Obama?

This is the latest installment of our Red/Bue Ohio series, in which we gather opinion and insight from influential local Democratic and Republican activists, party leaders and elected officials in Northeast Ohio.

Want to participate? If you are an activist, party leader or elected official and would like to take part in regular surveys that last only a few minutes, please e-mail Senior Regional Editor Jean Dubail at jean.dubail@patch.com.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Solon