"$teve $tivers" is Catching On (But Not How Mary Jo Kilroy Intended)

Just in case you missed the weekend coverage: Steve Stivers's work ethic lead to his second quarter fundraising efforts overwhelming those of slumberous Congresswoman Mary Jo Kilroy. Stivers raised $532,687 in the three month period preceding June 30--more than double Congresswoman Kilroy's $229,955. According to a press release from his campaign, Stivers enjoyed the support of 1,227 new individual donors this quarter. It would seem the spirit of civic engagement that lead to record voter turnout in 2008 is alive and well--except this time it favors Mr. Stivers.

Stivers also has more cash in the bank than Kilroy with $1.24 million to her $933,626. Now we know why Congresswoman Kilroy's campaign refers to Lt. Colonel Stivers as $teve $tivers: JEALOUSY! (Though it could just be that as a multi-millionaire trial lawyer she sees dollar signs everywhere.)

Stivers's fundraising success and accelerating momentum is exceedingly good news for you and me, the people who live in Ohio's 15th Congressional District. For too long we've lacked a representative who holds our interests in mind. Congresswoman Kilroy has raised only a paltry 63% of her money in-state. She's bought and paid for by Washington special interests and out-of-state liberal activists including George Soros, Susan Sarandon, Barbara Streisand, Carl Reiner, and internet regulation-pushing Craig's List founder Craig Newmark.

Steve Stivers, on the other hand, has raised 91% of his money from inside the State of Ohio. He will represent Ohio's working families because he's not beholden to anyone else. The erosion of our interests in favor of those of the Washington insiders and left coast liberals that has occurred on Kilroy's watch will be turned back by Mr. Stivers.

We'll have our own representative in Washington, D.C. again--just like the Framers of the Constitution intended. Imagine that!

It feels particularly good--particularly patriotic even--that, as Ohioans, we were able to scrape together more money than the Washington insiders and liberal activists to give to our candidate so that he now has more cash in the bank than theirs. It's David beats Goliath. (Though we have to keep throwing stones to keep Goliath down.)

By gosh, I actually pity Mary Jo Kilroy right now. I really do. Her fundraising efforts are faltering (the only method that she understands to get money from Ohio's working families is to tax it away from them), and she has the natural charisma of a doorstop. Without any coattails to ride this is going to be a rough election for her. And if she loses this job... well, you've seen the economy she created. It's rough out there.