Gov. John Kasich's union offensive could cost the GOP in Ohio

It’s the independent voters in Ohio who will help decide the general election in one of the nation’s most important swing states. But comments by voters hitting the polls in Columbus on Super Tuesday indicate that Republicans may already have a handicap in November: the state’s GOP governor, John Kasich. Kasich is beloved by many conservatives for keeping his promise to cut the state’s deficit, but he also signed into law a bill, SB 5, that took away collective bargaining rights from public employees. That law was repealed by voters in a November referendum by a 2-to-1 margin.
Jay McDonald, president of Ohio’s Fraternal Order of Police, says that many of his group’s conservative members have changed their party affiliation after the fight over SB 5, also known as Issue 2 because of its place on the November ballot. The group endorsed John McCain for president in 2008. “I’ve got lots and lots of guys who said because of continued attacks on the unions, they no longer consider themselves to be Republican,” he said.
Read the full story here: http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-gov-kasichs-union-offensive-may-cost-the-gop-in-ohio-20120306,0,7504811.story