MOUNT VERNON — “The Republican Party is alive and well in Ohio.”
That’s what Kevin DeWine, deputy chairman of the Ohio Republican Party, told about 50 members and guests at the Knox County Republican Women’s Club luncheon Thursday at The Alcove.
“There are three reasons for that — our candidates, our message and our organization,” DeWine said. “This county (Knox) has a really strong party. You have a lot to be proud of.”
DeWine’s position was created about 12 months ago, and he has been busy traveling the state, talking with local party members, ever since.
“I enjoy it because the work I do is important. I’ve realized that the election matters, this party matters, our candidates matter and our message matters,” DeWine said. “The people we elect this year will shape our country and our state for the future. It’s about electing good people with the right ideals to lead the country. I’ve got four boys and I’m concerned about who will lead the county and state in the future. They’re why I got into this.”
The Ohio Republican Party has changed several things since the last national election, most specifically the way they provide services for the candidates. DeWine said they have created a video suite in the basement of the state offices that will allow candidates to create high-quality videos for TV and Internet.
With the presidential election coming up in November, DeWine told the audience what it needed to do to help keep a Republican in the White House.
“We’ve got to talk on the phone, e-mail people, knock on doors and put up signs,” he said. “It’s going to take everything we can possibly do.
“Ohio is going to be a battleground state again. It’s going to be dirty with a lot of outside money coming in. We’ve got to keep the faith and fight for 10, 20 years from now. ... I would call Ohio a purple state. You can’t win the White House without Ohio. It’s ground zero. As Republicans we have to step up and do things needed again.”
