Ken Blackwell at Family Research Council, originally uploaded by Rob Bluey.

I recently wrote about Ken Blackwell’s new jobs at the Buckeye Institute in Ohio and the Family Research Council in Washington, D.C. You can add another to his r√©sum√©. Blackwell recently joined the Club for Growth’s leadership council.

The former Ohio secretary of state swung through Washington yesterday after spending the weekend in Florida at the Club’s winter conference. He was in town for a reception the Family Research Council (more photos on Flickr.) The event drew many influential conservatives to cheer on Blackwell, including the Heritage Foundation’s Becky Norton Dunlop, Genevieve Wood, Pat Fagan and Bob Popper.

Blackwell has long been considered a conservative star for his years of public service in Ohio. Despite losing the governor’s race last November, Blackwell will forever have a place in many hearts for his work during the 2004 election. His efforts to put a marriage amendment on the ballot drew tens of thousands of conservatives to the polls, helping President Bush capture the crucial state.

Last night Blackwell talked about Ohio’s significance in 2008, particularly because no Republican has ever won the White House without carrying the state. However, with Democrats capturing the governorship and a U.S. Senate seat in 2006, Ohio is clearly the most important battleground in the country.

Blackwell used last night’s speech to challenge Republicans to embrace the principles that brought them to power in Washington following the 1994 election — on both fiscal and social issues. He said the GOP abandoned those principles in the ensuing years, prompting voters to punish all Republicans in 2006. His job at the FRC will be to remind conservatives why those principles are so important.

UPDATE — April 5, 11:59 p.m.: Before I forget, I want to link to video (here and here) of Blackwell’s speech. Hat tip to my pal Matt Naugle at Right Angle Blog.