WestChesterBuzz.com

Sheila McLaughlin reports:

Life in Republicanland isn’t what it used to be.

Here in Butler County – home to House Speaker John Boehner, a county so Republican the Democrats didn’t even bother to challenge him this year – the 2012 landscape is a far cry from 2008, much less elections before that.

Unemployment is 7.9 percent, compared to 5.1 percent in March, 2008. Nearly one in ten families live in poverty now. The days are gone when subdivisions were rising at every farm and commercial developments were exploding.

A look at how the economy has changed and Enquirer interviews with voters shows that Republicans and conservatives are looking for a candidate to bail them out of hard times.

They are divided on which candidate will do that, and that’s important: whoever wins Republican-rich Butler County on March 6 could take a big leap toward winning Ohio. In the 2008 primary, more Republican votes were cast in Butler County than in all but five other counties.

They aren’t particularly enthusiastic about any candidate, which could haunt Republicans on Nov. 6.

They see a field of candidates who may not be electable and who all have deep flaws – too many wives, too many negative ads, too young, too old.

But they are sure of one thing: Getting rid of President Obama is the cure to what ails Butler County.

“Do I think that there’s going to be some radical shift that Butler County can no longer be counted as a great conservative bastion? Absolutely not,” said Dave Kern, head of the Butler County Republican party.

‘The lesser of two evils’

Bill Langdon, 64, owns the Grand Ole Pub (GOP for short) in West Chester Township.

Langdon and his wife Pat opened their bar on Princeton-Glendale Road about 16 months ago. He calls it an “American pub” although it’s known as a gathering spot for conservatives.

Photos of all the U.S. Presidents get equal billing on a rear wall of the pub, no matter their political party. But there are a couple tell-tale signs which way the politics lean here. (more…)

Posted in: Election, News |

Tags: Tags: GOP, Grand Ole Pub, Grand Ole Pub West Chester Ohio, Mitt Romney, newt gingrich, Rick Santorum, ron paul

West Chester’s John Boehner becomes Speaker of the House

It didn’t take long for West Chester resident John Boehner to make news in 2011.

Just five days into the year, Boehner was officially elected the 61st Speaker of the House.

Locally, more news surrounding Boehner took place as protesters picketed throughout 2011 outside his West Chester office.

However, on Jan. 5, many local residents witnessed something that they may never see again.

“Well I am 63 and this has never happened before and I doubt it will ever happen again in my lifetime,” said Bill Langdon, owner of Grand Ole Pub in West Chester. “So, to me, it is much bigger than the Super Bowl. That happens every year. Having the Speaker of the House be your congressman? Never happened to me. This is a monumental event.”

• Photos of John Boehner’s Speaker of the House office
• Photos of John Boehner preparing for swear-in with staff
• Photos of John Boehner swearing-in party at Grand Ole Pub
• Photos of John Boehner through the years
• Photos of John Boehner becoming speaker

While many of the people felt a personal connection to Boehner just because they shared the same hometown, others have actually known the man before he was a congressman.

“I am trying to let this soak in,” Gary Cates, who has known Boehner for 28 years, said while watching the swearing-in of Boehner at the Grand Ole Pub. “To see this happen to someone you know is unbelievable. Outside of knowing the President of the United States personally, this is pretty big stuff.”

Cates actually knew him from the beginning when Boehner served as the president of the Lakota Hills homeowners association and as a Union Township trustee. At the time of Boehner’s swear in, Cates was an Ohio Senator. Now, Cates is the Senior Vice Chancellor for Innovation and Enterprise Development at the Ohio Board of Regents.

“He has really started at the grassroots level. It is a real great accomplishment on his part to persevere to get to where he is today,” Cates said. “I am sure I speak for a lot of people, we are all really proud of him for what he has done for our area.”

Former Cincinnati Enquirer caricature artist Jerry Dowling, who was involved in the Lakota Hills homeowners association back in the late 70s, was also at the bar to witness Boehner’s special moment.

“It is unbelievable that this could happen. No one expected John to rise up the way he has. This is just flabbergasting. We are so thrilled,” Dowling said.

Posted in: Election, Government, News |

Tags: Tags: Gary Cates, Grand Ole Pub, Grand Ole Pub West Chester Ohio, John Boehner, John Boehner Cincinnati, John Boehner office, John Boehner photos, John Boehner West Chester, Senator Gary Cates, Speaker of the House, West Chester top 11 stories of 2011, West Chester top stories of 2011

The Grand Ole Pub in West Chester, which opened almost a year ago, was recently featured in an Associated Press article that has been featured online throughout the country, including on the websites of the Atlanta Journal Constitution and the San Francisco Chronicle.

The story focuses on the mixed feelings of Republicans and how Ohioans are currently undecided on who to vote for in the Republican primary. The local pub has become a gathering spot for local republicans and earlier this year featured a viewing party for the swearing-in of John Boehner as the 61st Speaker of the House.

Dan Sewell of the Associated Press recently visited the pub and wrote the story:

The Grand Ole Pub in this Cincinnati suburb is a good place to find Republicans. It’s not so easy, though, to find one who feels settled on, or even enthused about the party’s current field of presidential candidates.

Patron Jim Goll sat near a portrait of conservative standard-bearer Ronald Reagan, and the walls are decorated with pictures of talk show hosts Sean Hannity and Bill O’Reilly and other political figures. It seemed that Goll and other patrons couldn’t see any of the current field joining the Republican icons on the pub wall.

They’ve all got some points that I like,” Goll said. “If I could take all the candidates and put them in a pot and mix them together, that would be awesome.”

Ohio has been a swing state for decades, and recent polls indicate Republicans could take it back in 2012 after Barack Obama’s 2008 win — Republican George W. Bush carried Ohio twice, as did Democrat Bill Clinton. But first Ohioans would have to rally around a common candidate.

Mixed feelings and indecision seem common across a swath of Republican-dominated suburbs that provide votes for Republican nominees — whom history says must win Ohio to win the general election. A recent statewide Quinnipiac University poll indicated support for Mitt Romney was at 24 percent, with “don’t know” at 22 and Rick Perry at 21 and the rest scattered among the other candidates. (more…)

Posted in: Business, Election, Government, News |

Tags: Tags: American, American pub, bars, business, business news, GOP, Grand Ole Pub, Grand Ole Pub West Chester Ohio, political, presidential race 2012, presidential race 2012 Ohio, presidential race 2012 West Chester

Approximately 400 friends, family members and constituents traveled to Washington D.C. to witness the swearing-in of John Boehner as the 61st Speaker of the House. Back in his hometown, a crowd of his supporters gathered at the Grand Ole Pub.

The atmosphere was the equivalent of a Super Bowl party. Bar goers cheered on their man (John Boehner) and heckled their enemy (outgoing speaker Nancy Pelosi).

“Well I am 63 and this has never happened before and I doubt it will ever happen again in my lifetime,” Grand Ole Pub owner Bill Langdon said. “So, to me, it is much bigger than the Super Bowl. That happens every year. Having the Speaker of the House be your congressman, never happened to me. This is a monumental event.”

>>>PHOTOS OF BOEHNER PARTY AT GRAND OLE PUB<<<

Many of the people who visited bar felt a personal connection to Boehner just because they share the same hometown, others have actually known the man before he was a congressman.

“I am trying to let this soak in,” said Ohio Senator Gary Cates, who has known Boehner for 28 years. “To see this happen to someone you know is unbelievable. Outside of knowing the President of the United States personally, this is pretty big stuff.”

Cates actually knew him from the beginning when Boehner served as the president of the Lakota Hills homeowners association and as a Union Township trustee.

>>>PHOTOS OF BOEHNER THROUGH THE YEARS<<<

“He has really started at the grassroots level. It is a real great accomplishment on his part to persevere to get to where he is today,” Cates said. “I am sure I speak for a lot of people, we are all really proud of him for what he has done for our area.”

Former Cincinnati Enquirer caricature artist Jerry Dowling, who was involved in the Lakota Hills homeowners association back in the late 70s, was also at the American Pub to witness Boehner’s special moment.

“It is unbelievable that this could happen. No one expected John to rise up the way he has. This is just flabbergasting. We are so thrilled.”

Judging by the celebration at the West Chester bar so is his community.

“He is the American dream,” Langdon said. “He came from humble beginnings, in a small house with eleven brothers and sisters. He started out as a small businessman. That is quite a journey in one lifetime. That is the American dream.”

Posted in: Business, Election, Events, Government, News, Political events, Tea Party |

Tags: Tags: 8th Congressional District, American, American pub, bars, business, business news, Gary Cates, GOP, Grand Ole Pub, Grand Ole Pub West Chester Ohio, John Boehner, photo gallery, photos, Senator Gary Cates, Speaker of the House

It is not uncommon this time of year for local bars to host special parties for big football events, like bowl games or the NFL playoffs, but what about political events?

On Wednesday, Jan. 5, West Chester’s Grand Ole Pub will be hosting a unique bar gathering to watch the swearing-in of local politician John Boehner as he becomes the 61st Speaker of House.

The American pub, which opened in late October of 2010, will display special Miller Lite and Budweiser event banners for Boehner’s special day. The bar will also feature $1 16 oz. draft beers and half-price hanky pankies.

“Hopefully the hanky panky will now stop in Washington,” Grand Ole Pub owner Pat Langdon said. “Too much of it goes on right now.”

The Grand Ole Pub made national news in November due to its unique political and republican theme.

At the time of its opening, fellow owner Bill Langdon (Pat’s husband) denied the political theme saying, “There is nothing on these walls that is political in my mind. It is just an American pub.”

The bar displays the Constitution, pictures of every former President of the United States and historical information about America framed on its walls. However, it also displays caricatures of Fox News anchors on its wall and its televisions are typically tuned into the cable news network. Not to mention, the bar’s name, “Grand Ole Pub” is short for GOP or the “Grand Old Party.”

“I am very conservative and so is my bar,” Pat Langdon said.

Whether it is truly a political bar or just an American pub is up for debate. Either way, the Grand Ole Pub is a perfect place to watch Boehner become the next Speaker. In fact, Boehner has already visited the bar twice, once before the opening and again to have dinner on the night before Thanksgiving.

The bar will be offering its discounted beer and hanky pankies from noon to 4 p.m. Jan. 5. The official swear-in will take place at approximately 1 p.m. All of the bar’s flat-screen televisions will be tuned in for the event.

Grand Ole Pub is located at 8177 Princeton-Glendale Road and can be reached at 513-942-2444.

Posted in: Business, Events, Government, News, Political events |

Tags: Tags: American, American pub, bars, business, business news, GOP, Grand Ole Pub, Grand Ole Pub West Chester Ohio, political

News stations throughout the country including NBC affiliates in Texas, Maine, California and Missouri have been telling their audiences about a political bar in West Chester, Ohio, called the Grand Ole Pub. The bar, which opened Oct. 28, has the Constitution, pictures of every former president of the United States and historical information about America framed on its walls.

“They are calling us a political bar, but that was never our intent,” owner Bill Langdon said. “There is nothing on these walls that is political in my mind. It is just an American pub.”

Langdon and his wife, Pat, who live in Fairfield, wanted to create an American pub to rival the English and Irish pubs throughout the United States.

“English and Irish pubs will display the flag and memorabilia from either country. We wanted to duplicate that with an American theme, so we started with the Constitution, the Betsy Ross flag, the Boston Tea Party, ‘Washington Crossing the Delaware’…We just wanted to tell the story of America’s founding on the walls,’” Langdon said.

However, the bar owners couldn’t shake its perceived political image.

Caricatures of Fox News anchors on the wall and flat screens constantly displaying the cable news network have also given the bar a Republican image. (more…)

Posted in: Business, News |

Tags: Tags: American, American pub, bars, business, business news, Grand Ole Pub, Grand Ole Pub West Chester Ohio, political