US Senate candidate in Ohio pushes local gun amendment

COLUMBUS (AP) — A ballot campaign to restore control over guns to Ohio cities is the latest move by Democrat P.G. Sittenfeld to distinguish himself from his opponents in the state’s closely watched race for U.S. Senate.

Sittenfeld, a Cincinnati city councilman, announced today that he’s joining forces with gun-control groups to push an amendment to Ohio’s Constitution as soon as this fall that would to restore home-rule rights to cities so they can pass and enforce their own gun laws.

“We simply believe that cities wishing to enact common sense reforms should be able to, while those that don’t should be free to keep things as they are,” he said at a news conference. “But whatever they decide should be done with the consent and support of the people who live there, not handed down as edicts by Columbus politicians.”

Sittenfeld has made gun safety a central issue of his campaign against Democratic former Gov. Ted Strickland and their shared rival, incumbent Republican Sen. Rob Portman. He said the ballot effort will go forward whether or not he wins the Democratic nomination over Strickland in March and proceeds to face Portman in November. Both Strickland and Portman have supported gun rights and gotten high marks from the National Rifle Association.