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Wow! The campaign is now over. Congratulate yourselves for a job well done.

Thanks to all of you who participated in and supported our historical and inaugural statewide campaign for the Green Party in Ohio. The approximately 40,000 votes that Anita Rios and I received in the Governor/Lt. Governor race and the more than 70,000 votes Tim Kettler received in the Secretary of State’s race only came a result of many hours of tireless work by numerous volunteers.

In many ways, the campaign was key in defeating Ken Blackwell. For two years, often while the Democrats ducked and covered, our independent and tenacious army of election rights activists unflinchingly attacked Blackwell and his corrupt cronies. I’m not sure Ted Strickland ever said anything negative about Blackwell. Well, we did and more importantly, it was fact-based. We were the fraudbusters. Blackwell and Bush, the fraudsters. Bye, Bye, Blackwell.

The campaign was also historically significant because of the continued role of the Green Party in taking on the great moral issues of the day in Ohio.

First and foremost, I want to thank Phil Nash and Emi Ireland – the webmaster and webmistress extraordinaire. Their work is rapidly passing into the realm of legend. I also want to thank Steve Caruso, who tirelessly updated and monitored the website and blogsite. He is humble and worked quietly in the background, but his efforts made a great impact on public debate in Ohio.

Paul Dumouchelle dutifully kept track of our limited funds and filed the time-consuming al often boring financial reports. I would not have run if he hadn’t agreed to serve as Treasurer. Thank you, Paul! I also want to thank Dorri Steinhoff, who stepped forward to manage the campaign in its early stages and throws some of the best parties I’ve ever attended.

Thanks also go out to the Cincinnati supporters my favorite blogger Andrew Warner, event organizer and mighty emcee Justin Jeffre, the Dean of Cincinnati fighting for truth-justice-and the American Way even when his ballot is eaten by a machine, and to Josh – the fearless leader of the Cincinnati Greens.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my loyal and blunt-speaking running mate Anita Rios. I think we would have gotten more votes if her name was at the top of the ticket! She was a joy to campaign with and sings a mean version of “White Rabbit.” Thanks to her husband, Robert, for being loyal, as well.

Tim Kettler, Roberta his wife and son Malcolm campaigned steadfastly with us throughout the year – even marching in the Gay Pride parade and were the fixtures behind our Ohio State Fair booth. Tim and his family were always there, at every event, bringing food and good cheer to everyone! We will miss hanging around with them.

Finally, I have to express my heartfelt appreciation to my two top campaign staffers.

Paddy Shaffer worked night and day as the campaign manager. She was the dynamo behind the “Five Candidate Election Observer Project 2006” and even accompanied me to my Gore Vidal fundraiser in California. She has earned some well-deserved sleep and the thanks from voting rights activists everywhere.

Judith Powell was there from the beginning. She’s the key reason we ended up on the ballot. Between her and Margie Daffey, the greatest petitioner of all time, we got more than12,000 signatures. While she often told me how proud she was of the work I was doing and the words I was speaking, she never seemed to understand how I was equally proud of her rele