Last night on the campus of the University of Cincinnati, J. Kenneth Blackwell won the battle of ideas for Governor of the State of Ohio. He clearly out-debated Congressman Ted Strickland and stated a much better case as to why he should be entrusted with power. He detailed a clear and actual plan to reform Ohio’s economy and showed why he would not only be different than Strickland but Governor Taft as well. In his words, “I’ll be a Republican, for a change.”

It’s just a pity nobody was watching. This is especially true when you consider that the other two debates have been at noon in the middle of the week, and that everybody who thinks they know anything has said this race is already over. The media and the Strickland campaign have both said time and again the race for Governor in November will be a foregone conclusion in his favor. Even though Strickland hasn’t said anything specific about his platform or ideas and even though Ohio voters (and probably Strickland staffers) are still clueless as to what his Turn Around Ohio Plan actually is.

Indeed, if Ohio voters were watching last night, the polls would be going the other way, with Blackwell ahead by double digits. Last night those who were watching learned that Ken Blackwell will cut taxes, which will alleviate the nation’s third highest tax burden and create jobs. They learned Ted Strickland has a plan to turn around Ohio. They learned Ken Blackwell will limit the growth of state spending and cut unnecessary bureaucracy and red tape that has contributed to one of the most hostile business climates in the country. They learned Ted Strickland grew up on Duck Run, wherever that is. They learned Ken Blackwell will defend the rights of property owners against aggressive abuses of imminent domain. They learned Ted Strickland gets defensive when he’s criticized. Perhaps this was the most entertaining moment of the debate. Indeed, in all his complaining about being bullied by Ken Blackwell, who’s more likely to take your lunch money?

Ted Strickland, if nothing else, represents the perfect post-2000 election Democrat candidate. He has no ideas of his own and refuses to discuss them in commercials, in public appearances (which he keeps to a minimum anyway), and in debates. He has the endorsement of crazy fringe groups who hate George Bush and think the past two elections were stolen. His only coherent position is that he’s not the person he’s running against, he’s against anything and everything George Bush has ever said or done, and this alone should be enough to get your vote. One hundred and eighty years ago there was another party whose sole uniting feature was opposition to a single person. The Whigs are gone now, and if the Democrats continue to run empty suits like John Kerry and Ted Strickland, their days might be numbered as well.