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Brunner not giving Fisher a pass
Registration deadline: If you want to vote in the May 4 primary, you’re running out of time.
Registration deadline: If you want to vote in the May 4 primary, you’re running out of time.
The deadline to register is Monday.
Boards of elections in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties will be open till 9 p.m. Monday for those wanting to register. While you’re there you can also vote.
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If Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner loses next month’s Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate she will go down fighting.
During her endorsement interview earlier this week with The Vindicator, Brunner took several shots at Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher, her opponent in the May 4 primary.
Brunner blamed Fisher for making “negative calls to shut down” her fund-raising efforts and for using his endorsement from Gov. Ted Strickland as a “sabre” to make “people afraid” to support her.
Brunner said she had no trouble raising money four years ago when she ran for secretary of state.
She blames her struggles in this Senate race, at least in part, on Fisher.
Brunner said Fisher is calling her donors and those who may potentially contribute to her campaign telling them to not give her money.
Fisher’s campaign strongly denies the charge.
Brunner is clearly frustrated about her inability to raise money for the primary.
I’m not going to make a judgement call as to who is telling the truth because it could simply be different perspectives on the issue.
Current job
One interesting aspect of Brunner’s endorsement interview was the discussion about her current job as secretary of state.
She’s been asked numerous times why she didn’t remain secretary of state, a position she likely would have retained if she sought it, rather than roll the dice on a Senate bid.
She’s obviously tired of answering the question.
‘Caretaker’
Her response to The Vindicator was: “I love public service, and I know I can do more than run a good election [the position oversees elections in Ohio]. Why should I stick around for a second term and be a caretaker?”
I said there’s more to being secretary of state than running elections.
Brunner agreed.
“I can keep good records too,” she said.
When I said it sounded like she was dismissive of her position, Brunner disagreed.
“I really love the job,” she said. Brunner added that it’s “one of the best jobs in state government.”
Fisher comes to The Vindicator for his endorsement interview next Friday.
While not looking past Brunner, it’s clear that Fisher’s focus is facing Republican Rob Portman in the November general election.
Most polls show Fisher and Brunner in a statistical dead-heat.
However, a Quinnipiac University Polling Institute poll this week shows Fisher leading Brunner 33 percent to 26 percent.
That’s outside the margin of error, but there is a large undecided vote.
How those undecideds vote or if they bother to vote will determine who wins next month’s Senate primary.