Obama’s Ohio for Change Campaign launches ‘Ohio Republicans for Obama’

Preempting John McCain's acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention, opponent Barack Obama's Ohio for Change Campaign announced the launching of "Ohio Republicans for Obama."

The effort was referred to by the campaign as a "statewide grassroots effort to identify and organize other Republicans unhappy with the past eight years of failed policies under George Bush."

As part of the launch, some Republicans were to join Obama phone banking efforts at some Ohio for Change offices.

The campaign touted support from such people as Gregory Fess, a fourth generation Republican in Columbus, whose great grandfather was a Republican Congressman and Senator from Yellow Springs.

"Before I am a Republican, I am an American," Fess said in a statement from the campaign. "What I care about most is making sure that we have a President who can unite us in combating the major challenges of our time - terrorism, the economy, energy and climate change.  These issues are important to all Americans, and indeed the world.  So, I am going to spend the next two months talking to every person I can about why I believe Barack is that leader."

Republican Charlene Bradford of Canfield says, "I have never voted Democratic in a presidential election before but this year is different. When I think about what is at stake, I realize that it is not enough to just switch sides of the aisle, I have to go out and talk with other Republicans who care about health care, the economy and struggling families and explain to them why Obama is our guy."

Diane Morgan, a registered Republican who now considers herself to be a ‘bi-partisan' voter, also spoke on behalf of Ohio for Change. 

"Issues are the most important things in this campaign," Morgan said. "Living in Cleveland, one of the cities hardest hit by the foreclosure crisis, there is only one candidate who not only realizes how this crisis is affecting the lives of average Americans, but will do something about it and that is Senator Obama."

Michael Dial of Cincinnati, a Republican who has never voted for a Democratic presidential candidate before, says that he was moved by Obama's solutions for fixing the country's healthcare crisis.