43
Sources: Ex-Gov. Strickland to run for US Senate
Former Gov. Ted Strickland, who last successfully ran for office in 2006, will seek the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate next year, sources close to him confirmed.
Strickland couldn’t be reached to comment Friday by The Vindicator.
However, three sources said Strickland told political allies Thursday that he would run in the 2016 primary, and spent Friday talking to high-level national donors discussing his decision and seeking support.
Vindy.com, the newspaper’s website, first reported Strickland’s decision early Thursday. The report was picked up by the Washington Post and Huffington Post, National Journal and Talking Points Memo websites as well as numerous statewide news organizations. Several that did their original reporting wrote that Strickland was “seriously” considering a challenge to incumbent U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, a 59-year-old Republican from the Cincinnati area.
Strickland, 73, is visiting Israel this weekend and, before the Vindy.com arti- cle, had planned to make an official announcement in the middle of February, one source said.
When asked to comment about Strickland, Meredith Tucker, an Ohio Democratic Party spokeswoman, said, “There is nothing to confirm. Gov. Strickland has publicly said he’s considering running and that process is still ongoing.”
Strickland runs the Center for American Progress Action Fund, a politically progressive organization in Washington, D.C. One source said Strickland will resign from the group to concentrate on the Senate bid.
A former six-term U.S. House member who represented various portions of the Mahoning Valley, Strickland easily won the 2006 gubernatorial race against Republican J. Kenneth Blackwell. He lost the 2010 gubernatorial race by 2 percentage points to Republican John Kasich.
Strickland has said in recent months that he was interested in challenging Portman. It would be one of the highest profile Senate races in the nation next year.
It was less than a year ago that Strickland said he wouldn’t run for the seat. That came after he took the center job.
One factor in Strickland’s decision to run in 2016 is it’s a presidential election year with Hillary Rodham Clinton, a close political ally, considered the leading Democratic candidate, a source said.
Republicans were quick to pounce on Strickland’s candidacy.
Chris Schrimpf, Ohio Republican Party spokesman, said, “We’ve seen the Ted Strickland playbook when he was governor — massive job losses, huge budget deficits and a plan to raise taxes.”
Andrea Bozek, National Republican Senatorial Committee spokeswoman, said, “Ohio families still haven’t recovered from Ted Strickland’s tenure. Under Strickland’s misguided policies and failed leadership, Ohio lost over 350,000 jobs and was 48th in job creation. Ohio can’t afford to go back to those days.”
Cincinnati councilman P.G. Sittenfeld, 30, announced last week that he would seek the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate next year. Sittenfeld spoke to Strickland before announcing his bid, but declined to discuss whether he’d stay in the race if the former governor chose to run.
On Friday, Sittenfeld only said, “I’m focused on advancing ideas that help the middle class.”
U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Howland, D-13th, has said he’s interested in the Senate seat, and would have a decision in the coming weeks. It’s unlikely that Ryan, 41, a longtime ally of Strickland’s, would get into the race with the former governor as a candidate.
After considering a presidential bid next year, Portman opted to run for a second six-year term next year. Portman’s campaign has $5.8 million in his re-election fund and the endorsement of about 250 Republicans, including every statewide officeholder and most Republicans in the General Assembly.