The Ohio Politics Almanac (review)

In the nineteenth century, Ohio was the "cradle of the presidency." The state produced six presidents, including three—Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, and James A. Garfield—who served consecutive terms, a record matched only by the Virginia triumvirate of Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe. In the twenty-first century, Ohio has reemerged as a critical battleground in presidential elections. In 2004, the state determined the outcome, and in 2008 it may do so again. For those with a personal passion for, or professional interest in, state or national politics, The Ohio Politics Almanac by Michael F. Curtin is an indispensable guide.

The book boasts a wealth of information, some of which could use more explanation. It is not clear, for example, why it matters that, under the leadership of Gov. John W. Bricker (.939–.945), the first Republican to serve three consecutive terms, the state chose to require couples to submit to venereal disease testing prior to receipt of a marriage license. Nor does Curtin explore why voters in 1912 rejected a proposed constitutional amendment to remove the word "white" from the section on voting eligibility, even though blacks had voted in Ohio since 1870. In general, the issue of race relations might have received more attention, although the book does mention the riots in Cleveland in 1966 and Cincinnati in 2001.

But most of the information included is fascinating and important. Curtin notes, for example, that Democratic disorganization has deep roots. He quotes the Ohio State Journal, which in 1902 published an article under the headline "Democrats Are Going to Take a Leaf from Book of Republicans and Try Organization" (89). He also observes that while Ohio has a well-deserved reputation as a presidential barometer (in the twentieth century the candidate who carried the state won the election twenty-three of twenty-five times), it has tended to trend more Republican than the nation as a whole for a host of social, economic, cultural, and geographic reasons.

The book is a pleasure to peruse. It is well organized, with separate chapters on the individuals and institutions that have dominated Ohio history. It also has useful sketches of the state's cities and counties. The tables, graphs, and charts are clear and compelling; they alone make the book an essential reference for scholars. The prose is smooth and succinct, as one would expect from a professional journalist like Curtin, the vice chairman and associate publisher of the Columbus Dispatch.

The book has a few minor flaws. The profile of Rutherford B. Hayes, for example, implies that secret "dealmaking" resolved the electoral crisis of 1876 and led to the end of Reconstruction in the South (.8). In fact, Hayes had already pledged to remove federal troops. Nevertheless, the author has performed a public service. If those who come to Ohio every four years to cover the presidential election read only one book about the state, this should be it. And for those of us who live and work in Ohio, it is an invaluable resource.