Ohio Showdown

An important contrast is emerging between the two leading candidates for U.S. Senate in Ohio that you need to know about.

On one side, incumbent U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) is working in Washington, D.C. to increase government spending and recently voted to block legislation to enact a Balanced Budget Amendment.

On the other side, State Treasurer Josh Mandel (R-OH) has been working in Ohio to cut wasteful spending and to balance the state budget.

The results of these two approaches could not be more different. Standard & Poor's recently downgraded our nation's AAA bond rating while it upgraded the outlook for Ohio from "negative" to "stable."

Sherrod Brown has shown that he's part of the problem while Josh Mandel has shown that he's part of the solution.

According to a recent article published by The Weekly Standard, Josh Mandel is achieving real results for Ohio taxpayers.

"When I got into office, there was this guy whose job it was to drive checks from Columbus up to Cleveland to deposit them," he says. Every month, this person was driving 143 miles on I-71 in an unsecured vehicle with $234 million of taxpayer money. Mandel switched to online banking and saved a hundred thousand dollars a year.

Commonsense changes like ending unused phone lines, lowering minutes on cell phone plans, and ending costly plant-watering contracts allowed Mandel to end his first fiscal year in the treasurer's office with a $400,000 surplus and a budget reduced by $1.2 million.

Josh Mandel's record stands in stark contrast to that of the big-spending Sherrod Brown. Not only did Sherrod Brown vote to block the only debt limit plan that would have secured our AAA credit rating, he called for a "clean" debt limit increase with zero spending cuts. Now, that's "extreme."

If Josh Mandel is nominated by Republicans in Ohio to face Sherrod Brown next November, it will be one of the biggest political showdowns in the country. The race will pit a young conservative leader with the principles and determination to restore America's greatness against a liberal career politician who has backed the policies that have given us near double-digit unemployment and over $14 trillion in debt. Consider the contrast:

Brown voted FOR the Wall Street bailout. Mandel opposes it.
Brown voted FOR the $787 billion stimulus bill. Mandel opposes it.
Brown voted FOR President Obama's government takeover of healthcare. Mandel wants to repeal it.
Brown voted FOR the Cash for Clunkers program. Mandel opposes it.
Brown voted for FOR union intimidation using "card check" elections. Mandel opposes card check.
Brown voted AGAINST permanent repeal of the death tax. Mandel supports full repeal.
Brown voted AGAINST the earmark moratorium. Mandel supports the ban.
Brown voted AGAINST defunding Planned Parenthood. Mandel supports defunding it.
Brown SUPPORTS cap-and-trade legislation that will destroy jobs. Mandel opposes it.
Brown SUPPORTS raising the debt limit. Mandel opposes it.

On issue after issue, the choice is clear. Josh Mandel fights for freedom while Sherrod Brown fights for dependency. Voters in the Buckeye State can replace Sherrod Brown next year with a true conservative leader who will stand up to the big spenders in both political parities, but that can only happen if the voters know they have a choice.

Josh Mandel does not have the same level of name identification as Sherrod Brown so he's trailing in the polls by about 15 percentage points. That's nothing compared to some of the polling deficits the Senate Conservatives Fund has erased in the past.

I know we can win this race and I know it will make a real difference, so please join me in the fight for our future. Here's what you can do to help.

Make a contribution. It's not important how much you contribute -- just that you give something. If everyone gives $25 to $50, we can raise enough to guarantee Josh Mandel's victory.
Spread the word by forwarding this email to your family and friends and by sharing it on Facebook using the "Like" button below. The more people we have working together on a few key races, the bigger our impact will be.
Pray for Josh, his wife Illana, and their entire team. This is going to be one of the most competitive races in the country and it's important that they remain focused on the task at hand and always remember what they're fighting for.

Josh Mandel was the first SCF endorsement of the 2012 election cycle because he's one of the most impressive conservative leaders in the country and because the outcome of this race will significantly impact our nation's future. Winning the Senate race in this key swing state will not only defeat the most liberal senator, it will also help defeat the most liberal president.

Thank you for standing for liberty. Together, we can advance the principles of freedom and secure America's future.

Respectfully,

Jim DeMint
United States Senator
Chairman, Senate Conservatives Fund