John Kerry Revives 2004 Election Allegations

John Kerry is turning up the heat with some allegations of election improprieties by the Ohio Republican who oversaw the deciding vote in 2004 -- Ken Blackwell.

In his latest fundraising effort for fellow Democrats, an e-mail will be sent on Tuesday to 100,000 Democratic donors asking them to support U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland for governor of Ohio.

The bulk of the e-mail criticizes Strickland's opponent, GOP Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, for his dual role in 2004 as President Bush's honorary Ohio campaign co-chairman and the state's top election official.

"He used the power of his state office to try to intimidate Ohioans and suppress the Democratic vote," said Kerry's e-mail.

Kerry's e-mail says Ken Blackwell "used his office to abuse our democracy and threaten basic voting rights."

Multiple lawsuits by outside groups were unsuccessful in challenging Ohio's 2004 election. One case filed by the League of Women Voters is still in U.S. District Court in Toledo. It claims Ohio's election system discriminates against minority voters.

As reported here earlier, the latest poll from Rasmussen Reports shows Strickland leads Blackwell by an "intimidating 57% to 32%."

RELATED POST: John Kerry: Ken Blackwell Has Used his Office to Abuse our Democracy