A new poll out this week about next year's US Senate campaign shows a surprise since Democratic former Gov. Ted Strickland jumped into it. Meanwhile, Strickland and his Democratic opponent in the primary, Cincinnati City Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld are running close in fundraising. There were more hints this week that Gov. John Kasich is also thinking about next year's ballot and a presidential race. And Kasich's doing pretty well in a new poll out this week from Ohioans for Good Government, which describes itself as an Ohio-based social welfare organization.



That poll also asked about other state policy and legislation questions - including how lawmakers draw the lines for state legislative districts, and about changing term limits. Voters overwhelmingly rejected that latter idea, and this isn't the first time in recent history that voters have told pollsters they don't want to alter term limits. But these less-than-encouraging poll results haven't stopped the Ohio Constitutional Commission from suggesting changes which the panel's members could soon approve sending to voters. Those who have been studying the issue of term limits for years have strong arguments for and against extending them. Making the case for changing term limits is Catherine Turcer, policy analyst for the government watchdog group Common Cause Ohio. Making the case for term limits is Rob Walgate, vice president of the conservative American Policy Roundtable.