Ohioans for Concealed Carry has color-coded a map of Ohio, which depicts the level of support in Ohio for concealed carry reform.

House districts from which representatives voted FOR House Bill 12 are represented in blue, and those voting AGAINST HB12 are in red.

Perhaps we need to fire up the t-shirt printer...because Ohio truly IS CCW Country.

On March 16, the Columbus Dispatch printed a column by Dispatch editorial writer Mary Ann Edwards, complaining that the "fanatic anti-tax Republicans" in the House put our constitutional self-defense rights on equal ground with the school funding mess, created by the formerly liberal Ohio Supreme Court.

Edwards whines that "no groundswell of public support exists for this bill, and most of the state's law-enforcement organizations oppose it."

She further tried to console readers that "this newspaper has weighed the arguments and evidence carefully and continues to find the case for concealed-carry unconvincing." Perhaps Ms. Edwards should read the Dispatch's December 6, 2002 article, entitled "Other States with Carry Laws See Few Problems".

And then there is this interesting bit of wishful thinking from Ms. Edwards: "Although lower courts in two areas of the state recently declared Ohio's longtime ban on carrying concealed weapons unconstitutional, the Ohio Supreme Court appears likely to uphold the statute, just as it has in every previous challenge."

We shall see, Mary. We shall see. Perhaps the result of collective historical opposition from liberals to concealed carry reform will result in Ohio becoming the second unrestricted carry state in the country. At last check, Vermont's low, low crime rates suggest Ohioans could do far worse.

Click here to read the entire editorial in the Columbus Dispatch (subscription site - paid access only), or click on the "Read More..." link below for an archived version.

Updated!: The Dispatch has published a pro-CCW response to the editorial. To read the entire piece, click here (subscription site - paid access only), or click on the "Read More..." link below for an archived version.

Several names familiar to Ohio voters are on a list of possible replacements for Supreme Court Justice Deborah L. Cook should the U.S. Senate confirm her nomination as a federal judge, Gov. Bob Taft's top aide said yesterday.

The Senate Judiciary Committee has approved Cook's nomination to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati. Confirmation by the full Senate has been held up because of the fight over the nomination of Miguel Estrada to the appeals court for the District of Columbia.

Applications for Cook's seat were due in Taft's office today, but the deadline was extended to March 28 so more applications could be filed, said Brian K. Hicks, the governor's chief of staff.

About 10 applications have been received so far. Taft expects another five or so.

Those who have applied, or intend to, include Ohio appeals court Judges Mark Painter and Stephen Powell of Cincinnati, Richard Knepper of Toledo and William Batchelder of Medina, and former appeals Judge Terrence O'Donnell of Cleveland, Hicks said. All are Republicans.

Cook's confirmation probably won't occur soon, but Hicks said Taft wants to move quickly if the Senate approves her.

The appointee would face election in 2004 to one of four seats that would be on the ballot.

Click here to read the full story in the Columbus Dispatch (subscription site - paid access only).