Fisher, Portman plan Senate debates

By DAVID SKOLNICK

skolnick@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher, a Democrat running for U.S. Senate, is challenging Republican nominee Rob Portman to seven debates, including one in Youngstown.

In a Web video, filmed outside the Lordstown General Motors complex earlier in the campaign, but not released until Monday along with a letter to Portman, Fisher proposed meeting at agreed-upon locations in Youngstown, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Toledo, Dayton and somewhere in southeast Ohio.

Standing outside the GM plant, Fisher said about the Mahoning Valley: “Despite the despair and the pain, we also have great hope.”

He mentioned the V&M Star expansion, the launching of the Chevrolet Cruze and the third shift of workers at GM when talking about “great hope.”

Fisher wants the two major-party candidates to discuss their plans for creating jobs.

In response, Jessica Towhey, Portman’s campaign spokeswoman, said: “Of course there will be debates. We look forward to a series of debates, and we’ll be in touch with Lt. Gov. Fisher’s campaign to work out the details.”

In his letter to Portman, Fisher wrote: “While you and I have proposed vastly different plans to get our economy moving forward again, we both have a responsibility to share our plans for creating jobs directly with Ohioans.”

Most polls have Fisher and Portman in a statistical dead-heat.

“This race is a jump ball,” said Bill Binning, chairman of Youngstown State University’s political science department. “Lee must think there will be some benefit by debating. He’s already benefiting from being the one who made the challenge.”

But, Binning said, Senate debates “don’t attract much attention” from voters.