COLUMBUS -- In politics, the saying goes, timing is everything. Democrat Lee Fisher learned it in 1994 when a Republican tidal wave swept him out of the attorney general's office and put Republicans in control of all three branches of Ohio government.
Now the Democratic candidate for governor, Mr. Fisher could again be the victim of something outside his control: The Monica Lewinsky scandal.
A bipartisan national poll suggests the scandal could cut into Democrats' usual advantages with female voters and senior citizens.
Issues ignored
"The scandals have drowned out the discussion of the issues -- health care, education and Social Security -- that help the Democrats," said Democratic pollster Celinda Lake, who conducted the "Battleground '98" survey with Republican pollster Ed Goeas.
Amid the cacophony, Ohio Democrats are trying to stay focused on their message that one-party rule of state government is bad for government. Republicans now control all statewide offices, both houses of the General Assembly and the Ohio Supreme Court. Gerald Austin, a Democratic political strategist, said Democrats need to concentrate on their vision for the state and not get distracted with Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr's report.
"Ken Starr's report is designed to drive down Democratic turnout for Congress and the statehouses, plain and simple," Mr. Austin said. "We have to keep people focused on the fact that the people we elect this year will lead us into the next century."
Democrats, however, find themselves peppered with questions about Mr. Clinton's future -- not the issues. Some are forced to decide whether it's politically smart to stand behind the president. Although Mr. Fisher was one of the first Democratic leaders outside Arkansas to endorse Mr. Clinton in 1992, one of his top aides said Mr. Fisher has no plans to ask the president to assist his gubernatorial campaign this fall.
"Are we reaching out to have him come out now? No," said Alan Melamed, Mr. Fisher's campaign chairman. "Things are very volatile right now, but the president has been in politics for a long time. He understands."
No comment, yet
Mr. Fisher plans to withhold comment on the scandal until after he has read the Starr report.
Bob Taft, the Republican candidate for governor, said he wants to see more evidence before weighing whether Mr. Clinton should resign or deserves to be impeached.
As the chief elections officer, Mr. Taft is charged with registering voters. He said he hopes that turnout will not suffer and he urged Congress to move swiftly and in a bipartisan fashion.
GOP political analysts, meanwhile, see victory ahead.
"If Bill Clinton gets the crap kicked out of him and women and seniors don't show up to the polls, it's going to be a bad year for Democrats," said Neil Clark, a Republican campaign strategist. Low turnout typically helps Republicans, Mr. Clark said, because GOP voters are more disciplined.
Ohio Democratic Party Chairman David Leland refused to concede the scandal would have any affect on statewide races and provided an enthusiastic endorsement of the president and his policies.
"We need to keep what happened in perspective," Mr. Leland said. "It wasn't about the country, and it wasn't about the government or his official duties as president."
