For the second time the Columbus Dispatch’s editorial board is refusing to meet with a third party candidate as part of their endorsement process. This time Ohio Senate District 3 Libertarian William Yarbrough is on the receiving end of the stated Dispatch reason given to fellow Libertarian candidate Travis Irvine (OH-12), “…third party candidates can’t win… and logistically we can’t do it”.
- Irvine undercover at Dispatch trying to find out why they don’t like Libertarians
Just weeks ago the paper excluded Libertarian Travis Irvine who is running for Congress in the 12th district against incumbent (R) Pat Tiberi and current Franklin county commissioner (D) Paula Brooks. Travis went to the Dispatch offices to get that answer quoted above. His investigative video is at http://tinyurl.com/39yxe3x
In an email today Yarbrough wrote, “I have been excluded from the editorial board meeting at the Dispatch next week regarding the 3rd Senate District race.” His opponents are (R)Kevin Bacon and (D)Mark Pfeifer. The district covers a range of central Ohio cities, from Worthington, Westerville, New Albany, Gahanna, Whitehall, Reynoldsburg, Obetz, Groveport and Canal Winchester.
With less than a week to get the Dispatch to reverse their current decision, a protest against the paper has been launched and Yarbourgh is asking his supporters to contact the editor of the paper in order to change their position.
The Irvine campaign noted today that Yarbourgh is outpolling the Democrat opponent in this very conservative district. Other qualities cited by supporters as proof he should be included by the Dispatch are that he is the only Libertarian in the state officially endorsed by The Tea Party Pac and he’s also received endorsements from local media outlets, Outlook Columbus, and Outright Libertarians.
One Yarbrough supporter online notes this shows support among a very diverse group of people. Yarbrough is getting nationwide attention on the heels of the Tea Party endorsement. This weeks’ Rutherford Report now lists Yarbourgh at #3 on its weekly list of ‘Best bets for Libertarians wins for state legislature’. http://lpinscr.blogspot.com/2010/09/rutherford-report-9-15-10.html
Currently the Dispatch is sending out an email reply to people that have contacted them about the endorsement process shutting out 3rd party candidates. In an email sent today by the Editorial page editor Glenn Sheller, he wrote, “While I would like to include third-party candidates in our endorsement interviews, given the time and staff at our disposal, we already is hard-pressed to schedule and meet just with the 50-60 Republican and Democratic candidates running in offices in which we endorse.”
In a phone interview this evening Michael Johnston (Vice Chair and Political Director of the Ohio Libertarian Party and Ohio House 19th District) said that the party had been in discussion with Glenn Sheller the Editorial page editor and discussing ways avoid this situation from happening.
Johnston said, “Mr. Sheller agreed with some of our points and told me he would work to resolve this issue in the future”.
He also added that, ‘We look forward to continuing to work with the Dispatch and appreciate the much better coverage we’ve received this cycle from their reporters’.
Mr. Yarbrough and Mr. Johnston will be appearing on 610 WTVN Sunday 9/19 at 6:15p to discuss this issue.
Ohio Tea Party Pac Endorsement – http://yarbroughforohio.com/PAC%20Press%20Release.pdf
YarbroughforOhio.com
IrvineforCongress.com
ColumbusDispatch.com
Video of Travis going undercover at the Dispatch office
