by Eric Resnick

Columbus--�We haven�t met with LGBT folks yet, but it�s part of the plan,� said Ohio Republican Party spokesperson John McClelland, clarifying statements made by Deputy Chair Kevin DeWine. �The goal is to have meetings between now and the end of the first quarter.�

McClelland described a series of meetings that party heads are planning with �coalition groups� of 10 to 15 people, with an advisory role.

DeWine was responding to a reporter�s question during a January 9 conference call about what role the so-called �values voters� would have in Ohio during the 2008 presidential elections.

Those voters are credited with turning out in large numbers in 2004 for the state�s constitutional marriage ban amendment, helping George W. Bush defeat John Kerry in Ohio.

�We�re still trying to get our hands around that,� DeWine said, adding that is one purpose of meeting with the coalition groups.

�Our process is to motivate as many voters as possible, and to motivate them around things that affect their daily lives,� DeWine said. �For some, those issues are important.�

�We have had some conversations with Log Cabin Republicans,� DeWine said of the party�s LGBT group.

DeWine indicated that Ohio�s social conservatives have not yet coalesced around any particular candidate.

�When I had conversations with the social conservatives around supporting certain candidates, there was no consensus,� DeWine continued.

�At that time, we thought the Democratic nominee would be Hillary Clinton, and when asked who they would support over Hillary Clinton, to a person, they chose any Republican,� DeWine said.

McClelland said the extent to which LGBT issues would be part of the presidential campaign would depend on which candidate emerged.

�But,� McClelland added, �we plan to do a better job reaching out to the LGBT community.�

�We�re not attempting to drive wedges between communities,� McClelland said.

DeWine also said that Ohio might still be relevant in choosing the GOP nominee on March 4.

�I�m not sure that the Republican primary will be over by then, or for that matter, if the Democratic primary will either,� DeWine said. �Based on what�s been going on, Ohio may still play a role.�

Regardless, DeWine said Ohio will be �ground zero� again in the general election.

�Ohio will play an important role in choosing who the next president will be,� he said.

�The election [in Ohio] will be about winning independents,� said DeWine.

�Change is not a Democrats only message,� DeWine said.