Meckler Produces Interesting Profile of Frank Lausche

The always interesting Michael Meckler has a profile of the late Frank Lausche. Lausche was a fixture of Ohio politics for many decades, one-time Cleveland mayor, later Ohio governor, and when I was young, United States Senator.

Lausche was a Democrat. But as the years wore on, he grew increasingly out of sync with his party. In his later years, he supported Republican candidates. Lausche's preference for the GOP toward the end of his life, Meckler points out, is partly reflective of the shift of many ethnic whites away to a more conservative politics.

But as Meckler points out, there has always been a strong Ohio tradition of more moderate and less ideological politicians in both parties. In that sense, Lausche the Democratic Senator who often voted against his party was only reflecting the usual aversion to ideology endemic to his state.

This tradition fits well with what is perhaps, the preeminent swing state, the place where so many presidential elections have been decided through the years.

Read Meckler's post and visit his blog often. It's always worth a visit!