Ohio Democrats! Don't Forget To Vote Today

Garrison and Israel-- 2 vile frauds destroying the meaning of the Democratic Party

Today is primary election day in Ohio's 6th district. Democrats in southern and eastern Ohio gerrymandered district will pick the candidate to go up against Boehner ally Bill Johnson. Favored to win by the Beltway Establishment is an anti-Choice, antigay, pro-NRA, pro-fracking right-winger we've talked about a lot here at DWT over the months, Jennifer Garrison (AKA- The Sarah Palin of Ohio). She would be exhibit A if House Democrats needed a trial to remove the scourge of Steve Israel and his corrupt and incompetent staff from the DCCC. Putting the finishing touches on her wretched campaign over the weekend, Garrison told the Ironton Tribune that “I’m a Democrat who disagrees with the President,” Garrison said. “I’m pro-life, I support the Second Amendment and I’m pro-coal. I believe coal is vital to southern Ohio." Except for the "I'm a Democrat" every word of what she said-- every word of what she's said all through the campaign and throughout her miserable political career, could have been uttered by Bill Johnson. She wears a blue t-shirt and he wears a red one. There essentially few other differences. Oh, except she's more obsessed with homosexuality and her antigay psychosis drives her life while Johnson doesn't really care that much beyond being a member in good standing of the antigay party.

I was disappointed that none of the national abortion rights groups or gay rights groups stood up to the DCCC and made them back away from their support of Garrison. It's pathetic-- and shameful. Is it acceptable for a Democrat to behave towards African-Americans or Jews the way she has behaved towards LGBT community? Why does Steve Israel have the right to recruit an outright bigot and spend contributions on her that have been collected from the Democratic grassroots that have been told that the DCCC supports equality when, in reality, they support a hateful garbage candidate like Garrison? I can't, for the life of me, understand how this is acceptable to Nancy Pelosi and to other Democratic leaders.

If you haven't been following Garrison's homophobia, here's something from an earlier post:

Garrison beat a Republican incumbent in 2004 to win a state house seat from Southeast Ohio, by ATTACKING HER GOP OPPONENT FOR BEING TOO PRO-GAY. Yes, you read that right. From the Gay People's Chronicle: Garrison already has a rocky relationship with the LGBT community. She won her House seat by gay-baiting her predecessor, Nancy Hollister, in 2004.

Earlier that year, Hollister was the only Republican to vote against the so-called “defense of marriage act.” It was considered a courageous vote.

Garrison sent out mailings that read, “If you believe marriage is between one man and one woman, there’s something you should know about Nancy Hollister.”

The other side of the card said, “DOMA was enacted precisely to protect Ohioans from having to accept ‘marriages’ or ‘unions’ entered into in other states. Despite the value of DOMA, Nancy Hollister voted against it. Jennifer Garrison believes marriage is between one man and one woman and will fight to protect our values.”

In 2006, as a member of the House Education Committee, Garrison helped to kill an amendment that would have required Ohio schools to protect students from bullying for their sexual orientation or gender identity.

The anti-bullying bill passed without the LGBT protections.

An attorney, Garrison opposed EHEA last year, saying it is wrong to single out classes of people for protection. This is a common talking point that anti-gays use against equality laws, and is legally flawed.

From the Akron Beacon Journal (November 11, 2004):

Garrison turned the Hollister vote [against the Ohio Defense of Marriage Act] into something seemingly sinister. She told the Parkersburg (W.Va.) newspapers that "the big difference between Nancy and I is the gay marriage issue. I am against it. She is for it."Garrison sent mailings into homes that read: "If you believe marriage is between one man and one woman, there is something you should know about Nancy Hollister." The mailing then all but declares that Hollister embraces gay marriage, concluding Garrison will "fight to protect our values." Karl Rove would be proud. Clearly, Garrison rode the wave of state Issue 1. She and her pals should be ashamed.

She's the opposite of a Democrat and now she's campaigning by telling voters that she's an anti-Obama Democrat. I'm sure Steve Israel is very proud of himself. If you're voting in the 'burbs south of Youngstown, in the 'burbs west of Wheeling or Parkersburg or in Marietta, Canfield, Steubenville, Cambridge or Ironton, remember that there is an alternative to Garrison's and Johnson's narrow-minded conservativism: Greg Howard. He is also on the Democratic ballot toward, thoroughly ignored by Steny Hoyer and Steve Israel and their claque from the Republican wing of the Democratic Party.