To repeat: Jay Williams not in the running

By David Skolnick

Gov. Ted Strickland sent an e-mail to supporters stating that “in the coming days, I’ll be announcing my running mate.”

Despite “speculation” from other reporters that Strickland, a Democrat, is “focusing on Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams,” he isn’t. Besides Strickland and his campaign officials already have their answer even though they haven’t asked the question.

When the Associated Press wrote in mid-November that Williams is among “the names of potential Strickland picks circulating around Columbus,” the mayor was surprised.

Williams said at the time that neither the governor nor anyone on his behalf has asked him if he’s interested in the job.

He also added that he believes he can do what’s best for the city and the Mahoning Valley “by serving as the mayor” of Youngstown and not as a lieutenant governor candidate.

Twice this week, The Columbus Dispatch wrote that “speculation” has focused on Williams.

Reached by telephone on a business trip to Israel, and after the first “speculation” article was written, Williams told me nothing has changed except a Strickland official invited him to attend the governor’s Jan. 27 State of the State address. Williams is hardly the only mayor invited to attend.

“I’m thrilled with what I’m doing, and I can serve the city best by being the mayor of Youngstown,” he said.

Seeking a running mate, Strickland wants what is called a “balanced ticket.”

As a white male from Appalachia, Strickland is looking for diversity from his running mate — a minority, a woman and/or someone from the Democratic-dominated northeastern portion of the state.

Strickland chose Lee Fisher in 2006. Fisher, who is running this year for the U.S. Senate, fit the last category: someone from Northeast Ohio.

Williams would be an excellent choice as he is two out of three.

The problem is Williams is not interested in being lieutenant governor and apparently Strickland is going in another direction. If you believe the “speculation” Strickland is considering Yvette McGee Brown, a former Columbus judge. She’s female and a minority.

There’s no more speculating about who will be the running mate of John Kasich, the Republican gubernatorial candidate. Kasich is a white male from the Columbus area.

Kasich announced Thursday — and it was correctly reported earlier this week by The Plain Dealer and then later by The Columbus Dispatch and The Associated Press — that Ohio Auditor Mary Taylor will be his lieutenant governor running mate.

Taylor is from Northeast Ohio and obviously a woman.

Polls show that Democrats in Ohio and throughout the nation are vulnerable and in jeopardy of losing big elections this year, just as Republicans did in 2006 and 2008.

Taylor proved to be a strong candidate in 2006 when she was the only Republican elected to a statewide executive office seat.

Taylor was struggling to raise money for a re-election bid, but with Republicans looking good this year, in all likelihood Taylor would have been re-elected auditor.

With Taylor out of the race, Hamilton County Commissioner David Pepper, the Democratic candidate for auditor, suddenly becomes one of the most fortunate politicians in Ohio. He was a long-shot to beat Taylor. Regardless of who replaces Taylor, Pepper will no longer face an incumbent.

The selection of Taylor seems almost desperate, which is interesting because the latest poll shows Kasich starting to pull a little ahead of Strickland.

Republicans are throwing away a near sure thing in retaining the auditor’s post — and one of five positions on the important state apportionment board ¬≠— with the expectation that the move will help them capture the all-important governor’s position.