Strickland wants Portman to withdraw Trump endorsement

GIRARD

Ex-Gov. Ted Strickland, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, said today that he wants Republican incumbent Rob Portman to withdraw his endorsement of Donald Trump, the GOP presidential nominee.

Strickland said Trump’s comments about veterans are offensive, and Portman needs to denounce his endorsement.

“Donald Trump is unfit to be the president,” Strickland said during a stop at the Fraternal Order of Eagles in Girard.

During a visit last week to Youngstown, Portman said he disagrees with Trump on statements the presidential nominee made about a Gold Star family, but Trump is the best candidate running for the position and he still backs him.

Strickland said he is trailing in polls by about 4 to 5 percent, but “I feel good about that” because he is still close after several million dollars of negative TV ads about him. RealClearPolitics.com, which aggregates polling data, has Strickland trailing by 6.4 percent.