Toledo Blade - Latta Reminds Republicans That Turning Out Is The Key

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Toledo Blade - Latta Reminds Republicans That Turning Out Is The Key

FREMONT - The issues of immigration, taxes, and campaign commercials have dominated the race for Ohio's 5th Congressional District seat. But the topic of conversation for state Rep. Bob Latta (R., Bowling Green) and his supporters yesterday was a bit more elementary.

Having spent the last month drawing contrasts between himself and Democrat Robin Weirauch, Mr. Latta spent the final Sunday before tomorrow's election simply reminding people to get out and vote.

Mr. Latta met about 30 volunteers at a McDonald's restaurant in Fremont before going door-to-door in Ballville Township to reach Republican voters.

With the 5th District's long history of Republican rule - the GOP has controlled this congressional seat without interruption for about 70 years - Mr. Latta believes the best way to avoid an upset at the polls is to make sure the GOP faithful find their way to voting booths.

"What's going to determine the election is voter turnout," Mr. Latta said while trekking through a driving rain and frosty temperatures in a township condominium development. "It's not a traditional election date - that's why they call it special - and you just don't know who's going to turn out that day."

Mr. Latta was joined over the weekend by several big names from the Ohio Republican Party. His supporting cast at a rally at his campaign headquarters in Bowling Green on Saturday included former U.S. Rep. Rob Portman, who last worked for President Bush as director of the Office of Management and Budget, and state Sen. Randy Gardner, of Bowling Green, who will run for Mr. Latta's state House seat next year.

Among yesterday's cadre of volunteers and supporters was Karen Gillmor, the widow of U.S. Rep. Paul Gillmor, whose death on Sept. 5 created a vacancy in the 5th District.

"He has 17 years of legislative experience, and his opponent has none," Mrs. Gillmor mentioned as one of her reasons for supporting Mr. Latta.

Mrs. Gillmor's husband edged Mr. Latta by 27 votes in a 1988 Republican congressional primary. She said she expects a Latta victory tomorrow, even though Mrs. Weirauch has gained momentum in recent weeks.

Adam Greenslade, chairman of the Sandusky County Republican Party and a candidate for the county's board of commissioners, said Mrs. Weirauch's rise has mobilized members of the party there.

He said more than 50 people in Sandusky County volunteered to make calls and go to voters' doorsteps in support of Mr. Latta on Saturday, which he said was "unprecedented."

"I think people here are afraid of the liberal policies Mrs. Weirauch supports," Mr. Greenslade said. "Bob Latta is the kind of congressman our people want to represent them.

"If there's any chance our congressman isn't going to be Bob Latta, our folks are going to get out and work so that doesn't happen."

Before Mr. Latta and his network of volunteers went their separate ways yesterday into Ballville Township, Fremont, and Clyde, he told his supporters how important it was to get GOP voters to the polls tomorrow.

"If we get this done, I know we'll have victory," he said.

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