By all accounts, Steve Stivers is facing a challenging race against Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy in Ohio's 15th District. But it seems that Stivers has decided that the best use of the remaining time is to go cold walkin' up into Columbus-area sorority houses. Jackie Kucinich, of The Hill, documents this perplexing, and seemingly aimless plan, to encourage ticket-splitting in a district that went strong for Kerry in 2004:
State Sen. Steve Stivers (R) stepped out of the blustery conditions and into the lobby of the large white-pillared Delta Zeta sorority house.
Stivers was there to find votes, but not necessarily for the Republican Party.
"I just wanted to introduce myself around and say hello to you guys," he said on Monday afternoon. "The reason I'm running for Congress is because I want to try to bring the Republicans and Democrats together to get things done.
"That's what I've done in the state Senate," Stivers said to a roomful of sorority sisters munching on pasta. After a brief speech, a Delta Zeta rushed up to him and asked for a photo.
Of course, this would seem to be a fairly quotidian, and quixotic, beat for Kucinich to be on. Unless, of course, she'd like us to remember something. Maybe something like this:
The state champion girls volleyball team of Mercy High School in Cincinnati was in the Senate chamber recently to receive a resolution recognizing their accomplishment.
They had gathered around State Sen. Eric Kearney, D-Cincinnati, causing fellow Sen. Steve Stivers, R-Columbus, to comment that Kearney "attracts all the attractive women."
Reminded that he had just returned from his honeymoon after marrying the former Karen Tabor two weeks earlier, Stivers backpedaled.
"I'm allowed to window shop, just not buy," he said.
Tabor, the spokesperson for House Speaker Jon Husted, R-Kettering, confirmed her husband's shopping rules, but said they might be worth a review.
It may be that Stivers is no longer using his "political brain."