Ready for the Homestretch

Jo Ann Davidson would like to get in a week’s break before hitting the campaign trail for John McCain and Sarah Palin, but she’s not sure that’s possible. With her home state of Ohio‘s importance to the Republican ticket and her responsibilities on the party’s national committee, there’s precious little time before the Nov. 4 election.

Davidson, 80, knows that she will be campaigning hard, fortified by a national convention that was successful due in no small part to her own effort. As chair of the committee on arrangements, Davidson spent two years setting up the convention and then revamped it when Hurricane Gustav disrupted the schedule. Now she’ll put her organizational skills and drive to work for the presidential campaign.

“What we really take away is the enthusiasm and the energy of being here,” she says. “You felt it on the floor.”

President Bush carried Ohio by only 119,000 votes in 2004—about 2 percentage points over Democrat John Kerry—and there’s every indication that the vote will be just as close this time. Asked whether McCain or Bush sells better in Ohio, Davidson said both had good selling points.

“They come at issues somewhat differently,” she allows. “McCain is a little bit more of a maverick than George Bush was.”

But she quickly brushed those differences aside to say that both advocate economic policies appropriate for Ohio, adding that the economy will be the most important election issue in her state.

Democratic nominee Barack Obama apparently agrees, choosing to campaign in Ohio during the week of the Republican convention, partially because the state’s economy is one of the weakest in the United States. The national unemployment rate is 6.1 percent; Ohio’s tops 7 percent.

Obama plans to lower taxes for middle-income taxpayers, raise them for the wealthy and hold them steady for corporations. While McCain has embraced Bush’s tax cuts (after first opposing them), he still favors government tax incentives for some things like alternative energy.

McCain’s approach will be better for the economy, Davidson says. Echoing McCain’s theme of “change” despite the fact that the Republicans have held the presidency for the last eight years, Davidson called on Ohio delegates to get out there and work for the GOP ticket.

Davidson spent part of her final night at a party for convention organizers, most of them decades younger than herself. It was held at St. Paul’s historic Landmark Center, built in 1902 as a federal courthouse and post office, today a center for music, dance, theater and other cultural activities.

Walking briskly from the party on her way to a gathering of her home Ohio delegation, Davidson pledged: “I will devote all of my time and effort to election of the ticket.”

She seems to still have plenty of both, even after an intense convention week.

Elaine S. Povich is a freelance writer who covers politics.