U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown endorsed Ted Strickland for the Senate

By David Skolnick | March 10, 2015 at 12:05a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

Calling him “a champion for middle-class Ohioans,” U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown endorsed ex-Gov. Ted Strickland in the 2016 Senate race.

Brown, of Cleveland, backed his longtime friend and political ally Strickland, of the Columbus area, in the latter’s bid to capture the Democratic nomination for a seat held by Republican Rob Portman of the Cincinnati area.

Strickland “has spent his life working to create opportunity for working families in every corner of our state. I’m proud to offer him my endorsement in Ohio’s Senate race,” Brown said Monday.

In response, Strickland said, “We are pleased and grateful to receive an endorsement from the esteemed U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown. Sen. Brown has been a strong voice for working and middle-class families in Ohio throughout his distinguished career.”

Also seeking the Democratic nomination for the Senate seat next year is Cincinnati Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld.

Sittenfeld told a number of Democrats he’d get out of the race if Strickland ran. For now, however, Sittenfeld has opted to remain a Senate candidate.

“P.G. Sittenfeld is a smart, hard-working public servant with big ideas and a bright future,” Brown said. “He has shown through his work on the Cincinnati City Council that he has the right values and will act on them to build the middle class.”

Brown’s support for Strickland comes three days after three of Ohio’s four Democratic U.S. House members — Tim Ryan of Howland, D-13th; Marcia L. Fudge of Warrensville Heights, D-11th; and Joyce Beatty of Columbus, D-3rd — backed the former governor.

U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur of Toledo, D-9th, hasn’t taken a position on the Senate race.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee sent out an email Monday calling Brown a liberal and Strickland a “retread.”