Ohio Gov. John Kasich has a 12 percent lead over his challenger Cuyahoga County Exeucitive Ed FitzGerald, according to a poll released by Quinnipiac University.

Ed FitzGerald/John Kasich

The poll suggests that FitzGerald remains mostly unknown and continues to be, according to this and previous polls by the university.

In May, Quinnipiac showed Kasich with a 50-35 percent lead over FitzGerald indicating the challenger has made up a little ground.

The governor also received a 46-30 percent favorability rating and 50-37 percent say he deserves re-election, down from 53-37 percent in May.

The poll indicated 65 percent of Ohio voters don’t know enough about FitzGerald to form an opinion about him.

Collective bargaining for government employees appears to remain an important or somewhat important issue to 80 percent of Ohio voters, the poll said. The issue makes 31 percent of voters less likely to vote for Kasich, with 19 percent more likely and 45 percent who say it will not affect their vote.

Quinnipiac said it conducted the poll from July 24-28 and surveyed 1,366 registered voters by calling landlines and cell phones with a margin of error of +/- 2.7 percentage points.

John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
@newsheraldjah

Three  Democratic Party statewide candidates announced July 29 that they have received endorsement by the Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio.

Endorsed were Ed FitzGerald for governor and John Patrick Carney for auditor, and David Pepper for attorney general.

Ed FitzGerald

FitzGerald, who is Cuyahoga County executive is running against incumbent Gov. John Kasich.

Carney is a state representative and is running against incumbent Auditor Dave Yost.

John Patrick Carney

Pepper is running against incumbent Attorney General Mike DeWine.

The FOP is Ohio’s largest organization of sworn law enforcement officers, with more than 25,000 members in more than 180 lodges.

FOP President Jay McDonald cited FitzGerald’s eight years in law enforcement and his promise to restore funding cuts to public safety in the endorsement.

David Pepper

“Communities across Ohio are experiencing an unprecedented heroin epidemic, but Ohio’s police have been left to fight that battle without state support,” McDonald said in a statement. “The reduction of the Local Government Fund has also severally impacted public safety across the board. We look forward to working with Governor FitzGerald to restore the local government fund, and to having a true partner in state government once again.”

The state Auditor’s Office is an important watchdog for Ohio taxpayers and an endorsement the FOP takes seriously, McDonald said.

“John Patrick Carney has proven to be a true friend of law enforcement during his time as State Representative,” McDonald said in a statement. “He is a man of integrity, honesty, and has a work ethic we believe will make him an outstanding Auditor of State.”

Pepper is tough, smart, and independent, McDonald said.

“He has vast experience partnering with law enforcement to fight crime. We know Pepper is the best choice to keep Ohioans safe as our next attorney general,” McDonald said in a statement.

John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
@newsheraldjah

Sharen Neuhardt, the Democratic nominee for Ohio Lt. Governor will speak July 17 at the Geauga County Democratic Party Dinner in Bainbridge Township.

The event is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at 17826 Chillicothe Road.

Neuhardt will discuss the campaign's new television ad "Promise," and the FitzGerald-Neuhardt plan to make Ohio work for working people again.

Watch the video below:

John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @newsheraldjah

U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce will host a Veterans Resource Day from 8:30 a.m. to noon July 18 at the Willoughby Hills Community Center.

Joyce, R-Russell Township, will be joined by representatives from his staff and from the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Lake County Veterans Administration community-based outpatient clinics, Lake County Veterans Service Commission, Tricare and the Veterans Benefit Office.

No reservations are needed and veterans can discuss their experiences with the VA and issues with the current system, learn how to file a VA claim, check the status of current VA claims and gather information on additional VA programs.

John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @newsheraldjah

Michael Wager, Democratic candidate for Ohio’s 14th Congressional District, has received endorsement from the Ohio AFL-CIO.

The organization  represents 1,600 local unions across the state from 48 different international unions and includes firefighters, factory workers, electricians, educators, plumbers, postal workers, miners and municipal employees.

“If elected, Michael Wager will work tirelessly for the working poor, those struggling to make it into the middle class, and working families in his district and all across Ohio,” Ohio AFL-CIO President Tim Burga said in a news release.

Wager of Moreland Hills said in a statement that he was pleased to received the endorsement. In the Nov. 4 election, he faces incumbent U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce, R-Russell Township, and Libertarian David Macko of Solon.

"The 14th District deserves a representative who will stand up for workers' rights including a livable minimum wage, paycheck fairness and the hard-earned right to collective bargaining," Wager said. "I will continue my efforts to promote economic growth for all Americans and a stronger, more prosperous middle class.”

The 14th Congressional District consists of all of Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula counties, plus portions of Cuyahoga, Portage, Summit and Trumbull counties.

John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @newsheraldjah