Voting Recommendations

May 4, 2010 Primary - Republican

prepared by D. Riley & T. Corvo

Although there are limited choices because this is only a primary election, the interest level in the 2010
election cycle is relatively high for most voters. This is due to the political turmoil ongoing in both
Washington, DC and within the states, and the poor economy coupled with the rapidly rising national
debt that is impacting most everyone. The need to tighten governments’ belts/reduce spending coupled
with the significant desire for restraint in governments’ influence in our daily lives will hopefully be the
overarching factors in this election cycle.

Voters need to be wary of candidates who are making a career out of being politicians. Career
politicians are a primary reason this country is in such dire straits and the problem exists down to the
local level. Voters need also to beware of candidates who claim to be conservatives, who claim they will
be good stewards of taxpayers’ money and cut budgets, and who claim family values. It is not who they
say they are, it is who they have shown themselves to be.

State Issues:

1. Issue 1- Proposed Constitutional Amendment for extending the Ohio Third Frontier Program by
authorizing $700,000,000 general obligation bonds: Recommend NO.

Comment: Proponents say this will amendment will not increase taxes. But money does not grow on
trees and ultimately money to support this and other programs comes from taxpayers in one way or
another. The leadership of this state has yet to sufficiently recognize that the state is broke and needs to
quite spending, period. Furthermore, the constitutional amendment process should be reserved for
important and fundamental changes in law, not for making changes in funding that could be handled
through other legislative processes.

2. Issue 2 – Proposed Constitutional Amendment to change the location of the Columbus Casino Facility
authorized by previous state-wide vote. Recommend NO

Comment: This is an example of the problem that was mentioned in the comment block, Issue 1 above.
Because Ohio’s Constitution previously precluded casinos, an Amendment to the Constitution was
required to authorize the building of casinos which was approved by voters in November 2009.
However, the Amendment that was approved last November dictated minute aspects of the law that
should have been handled through the legislative process. Now we are being asked again to amend the
constitution for a minor aspect in the execution of the law. What’s next, a constitutional amendment on
what the casinos can serve in their buffet lines?

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 Candidates:

1. For US Senator: Rob Portman

Comment: Portman is the only candidate on the ballot. However, he has a strong conservative history.

2. For US Representative (Ohio 7th): John Mitchel

Comment: There are two candidates this election cycle, John Mitchel and incumbent Steve Austria.
Austria’s performance during his first term in office has been unimpressive and if he has shown
leadership in pursuing issues important to most, he’s kept it well hidden. To be fair, Austria did vote
against the health care bill, but this may have been more of minority party block vote than reflective of
his ideological belief.

Austria’s opponent, John Mitchel, is a conservative that has spent much of his energy pursuing
corruption in the greater Miami Valley political machines. Although this may have been an admirable
endeavor, what has been done by these political machines is history and now is the time for Mitchel to
explain what he would do to change the status quo in Washington. He needs to articulate more on what
he will do on specific issues of regional and national importance. Mitchel is viewed by the local GOP
leadership to be a right-wing fringe Republican. Given the past performance of the local GOP party
leadership, this label may actually be a plus. The recommended vote for John Mitchel is a part of a
national push to throw out weak or failed incumbents, give party leaders a clear signal on what voters
want, and give new blood the opportunity to enter the political body.

3. For Governor/Lieutenant Governor: John Kasich/Mary Taylor

Comment: Only candidates on the ballot. It should be noted that Kasich was part of the 1994
Republican Contract with America and his conservative credentials appear authentic.

4. For State Attorney General: Mike DeWine

Comment: Only candidate on the ballot. There is much dissatisfaction concerning DeWine and his weak
conservative principles. If he had any reasonable competition in the primaries, he would most likely lose
to this competition to represent the Republican Party in November’s general election. (See the
comments for Auditor of State below.)

5. For Auditor of State: Seth Morgan

Comment: Seth Morgan has shown great promise as a conservative and has challenged Democratic
Governor Strickland on some issues. The other candidate for this position is David Yost. Mr. Yost
dropped out as a candidate for Ohio Attorney General in January of this year to pave the way for Mike
DeWine to run for that position. It has been rumored that DeWine donated a considerable amount of
money to help Yost change his mind. Presuming it true, this is just another example of “good-old-boy”
politics. And even though it is just rumored, this in itself is reason enough to vote against Yost.

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6. For Secretary of State: Sandra O’Brien

Comment: Jon Husted is competing with Sandra O’Brien for this position. Although Husted seems to
have accomplished some good things during his relatively long career as a politician, he appears to be
just that – a career politician. His combined time in the Ohio House of Representatives and the Ohio
Senate is over nine years. He is obviously one of the “good-old-boys” in the Ohio Republican
establishment. He says the right things to appeal to conservatives and he makes significant claims of
past performance which could be challenged. Regardless, the problems that Ohio is experiencing
mandate new blood and new approaches to problem solving which Ms. O’Brien appears better suited to
provide.

7. For Treasurer of State: Josh Mandel

Comment: Only candidate on the ballot. However, Mandel is a conservative Iraq Marine veteran and
won his state legislative position in a predominately Democratic district through exhaustive door-to-door
campaigning. Mandel has an impressive future role to play in conservative politics.

8. For Chief Justice, Supreme Court: Maureen O’Conner

Comment: Only candidate on the ballot

9. For Justice, Supreme Court (commencing 1/1/11): Judith Lanzinger

Comment: Only candidate on the ballot

10. For Justice, Supreme Court (commencing 1/2/11): Paul Pfeifer

Comment: Only candidate on the ballot

11. For Judge, 2nd District Court of Appeals (commencing 2/9/11): Mary Donovan

Comment: Only candidate on the ballot

12. For Judge, 2nd District Court of Appeals (commencing 2/10/11): George Reynolds

Comment: There are two candidates for this judgeship, the other being Mike Hall. There are no known
criticisms of Mr. Hall that would disqualify him for this position on the Court of Appeals. However,
Mr. Reynolds is well known for his ethical conduct and standards, and is considered to be eminently
qualified. If elected, he would move up from his current position as Chief Magistrate, Greene County
Common Pleas Court.

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13. For Member of State Central Committee, Man (10th): David Kearney

Comment: Mr. Kearney is one of two candidates. Mr. Kearney is recommended because he has the
backing of the local conservative element. Joseph Haines, who is the other candidate for this position,
has the backing of the Greene County Republican organization which is considered problematic as long
as Marilyn Reid has any involvement in Greene County politics.

14. For Member of State Central Committee, Woman (10th): Cynthia Bieghler

Comment: Ms. Bieghler is one of three candidates and is recommended because she has the backing of
the local conservative element. Bieghler is very active in the Dayton Tea Party and other local
conservative groups. One of the other two candidates for this position, Brenda Lewis, has the backing of
the Greene County Republican organization which is considered problematic as long as Marilyn Reid
has any involvement in Greene County politics.

15. For State Representative (70th): Jarrod Martin

Comment: Recommending Mr. Martin for a second term in Columbus is the easiest of all
recommendations to make. From his time as a Beavercreek City Councilman to his time as an Ohio
State Representative, Mr. Martin has not only talked the talk but has also walked the walk when it comes
to constraining government and taxes. It should be noted that Mr. Martin’s competition is a William
Miller from Xenia. Mr. Miller claims to have the endorsement of Beavercreek City Mayor Scott
Hadley. Having the endorsement of Hadley should be the same poison as having the endorsement of
Marilyn Reid. Hadley was on Beavercreek City Council when it voted in the 1990’s to approve the
city’s golf course. This error in judgment is now costing Beavercreek taxpayers nearly $1 million
annually. Hadley’s focus is now to push through a city income tax, probably to pay for his golf course
mistake.

16. For Judge of the Court of Common Pleas: Raymond Dundes

Comment: There are three candidates for this judgeship. Mr. Dundes is recommended because the
professional presentation supporting his candidacy appeared strongest. One of the other two candidates
is Mike Buckwalter. According to a Dayton Daily News article of June 27, 2008 (see link below), Mr.
Buckwalter was a business partner of Marilyn Reid in the failed Wallaby’s restaurant, which had
problems with liquor license applications and paying back taxes.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/oh/story/news/local/2008/06/26/ddn0
62708reidinside.html

Although Mr. Buckwalter is not mentioned as the origin of any of those issues, any tie-in with Marilyn
Reid, political or business-wise, should be sufficient reason to oppose his candidacy. Reid and her
political “machine” represent the worst in Greene County politics.

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17. For County Commissioner: Virgil Vaduva

Comments: This endorsement is one of the more difficult to make since Mr. Anderson is a likable fellow
who has fulfilled his duties satisfactorily. Mr. Vaduva’s views on limited government might be taken by
many as extreme until one realizes that Vaduva is a Romanian immigrant and has many life experiences
living under a repressive government. It’s understandable then that he identifies himself as more of a
Libertarian. In a year when we need change more than ever, Mr. Vaduva offers a real difference in
comparison to a “due course” candidate. A strong showing at the polls by Vaduva, win or lose, might
help weaken the hold that the current GOP machine and Marilyn Reid have on Greene County politics.

18. For County Auditor: Dick Gould

Comment: There are two candidates for County Auditor, the other being David Graham. As his
campaign literature indicates, Mr. Graham has served as Chief Deputy Auditor for 10 years. His election
as auditor would, for all practical, be a continuation of the current bureaucracy with both its good and
bad points. Once in awhile, all bureaucracies need to be turned on their head by new leadership to avoid
the “we’ve always done it this way” phenomena. A change is leadership in the county auditor’s office is
warranted for this reason. As a final note, at a recent candidate forum, Mr. Gould was the only candidate
that somewhat knew the history of property taxes. Although not a show stopper, it’s refreshing to see
some candidates actually having a sense of history.

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