There’s no question about it — in politics, money talks.
Then the question becomes, what does money say?
For instance, what does it say when, seven months before the November election, a Republican Super PAC — the Senate Leadership Fund — dumps a whopping $79 million in an effort to support appointed U.S. Senator Jon Husted's campaign against former senator Sherrod Brown to hold onto the seat?
The Senate Leadership Fund, which is spending $342 million in eight key Senate races this year, has its own take on what it means:
"Senate Leadership Fund is deploying the resources necessary to ensure Senator Husted is elected in November and Ohioans are rid of Sherrod Brown once and for all," Executive Director Alex Latcham said in a news release.
Well, that’s one way to look at it.
The other seems to be closer to the mark. The powers that be in Beltway GOP circles, desperate to keep control of the U.S. Senate, see trouble brewing for them in Ohio.
And they know the outcome could determine which party controls the Senate for the next two years. There is someone at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office who must be sweating that out.
The independent, non-partisan Cook Political Report with Amy Walter recently moved the Brown-Husted race from “Leans Republican” to “Toss-up.” You can rest assured that did not go unnoticed in D.C. political circles.
'They are going to need to fight'
David Niven, a political science professor at the University of Cincinnati, reached back to the 6th century B.C. Chinese warrior and philosopher Sun Tzu, who once said “the strongest army never has to fight.”
“This, on the other hand, is a Republican declaration that they are going to need to fight harder for this seat than any race in the country," Niven said. “A very odd combination of strength and weakness here — ‘Look at us, we have so much money for this race, and by the way, we're going to need to spend it all.’ ”
A request for an interview with Husted, through his campaign press secretary, went unanswered.
So, what sort of baggage is Husted carrying with him as this campaign heats up?
- Husted has never been accused of any crime in the First Energy scandal, the $1 billion bailout for a struggling energy company that has landed major GOP figures in prison, most notably former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder. But Husted, a former Ohio secretary of state and House speaker, was involved in the passage of House Bill 6, which authorized the bailout.
- At a time of increasing economic uncertainty, Husted went on a conservative podcast and made headlines when he said people living in poverty are inexperienced with “the real world.”
- On Fox Business Channel, he advised people to “earn more” as a solution to a troubled economy for working people.
- In a January interview with radio station WOWO in Fort Wayne, he told Americans that they have to improve their “work ethic” to succeed in life.
- Husted also has introduced a Constitutional Amendment to require the federal budget to be balanced within 10 years of enactment. Sounds good, but critics warn that its provisions could also mean an end to “safety nets” like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
This is just a partial list. Nearly everything he has said or done since his appointment to the Senate has had its share of blow-back.
Still wondering about that $79 bailout? You’ve got your answer.
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