Ohio voters got a stark look at their choice for Senate in last night’s final debate of the contest. Vote Democrat, and you’ll be supporting military service for open homosexuals. Vote Republican and you’ll be supporting the status quo when it comes to Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.
For months, the Senate race — like all the major races in the Buckeye State this year — has been defined by the economy. Republican nominee Rob Portman has pulled out to a huge lead in the polls on the back of ads slamming President Obama’s economic policies and attempting to associate Democratic nominee Lee Fisher with Ohio’s high unemployment. The plan appears to have worked: the TPM Poll Average shows Portman ahead 52.9-36.6, and most observers expect the campaign to end with a easy Portman victory.
But there are significant differences between the two candidates, as evidenced in last night’s debate, and it’s possible that some increased talk of social issues could rally the Democratic base that so far seems content to pay Fisher little mind.
From the AP’s write up of the debate:
Portman says in Tuesday’s debate that the decision [on DADT] should be up to the military. He says it’s not the right time during two wars for a political decision … Fisher says no one who chooses to wear the uniform of the country should be discriminated against, whether by religion, race or sexual orientation.
That’s a significant difference, and one that puts Fisher in line with most Americans according to polls. In August, a CBS News poll found that 75% of respondents favored ending the military’s ban on open homosexuality. Only 19% favored the ban.
Will the difference be enough to gin up support for Fisher’s listing campaign? All signs point to that being a tough uphill struggle. In addition to Portman’s huge poll lead, the Republican “holds a 7-to-1 fundraising advantage,” according to the Dayton Daily News.
And there’s still that pesky issue of Ohio’s tough economic conditions. The debate offered Portman plenty of time to smack Fisher around with that topic, according to BusinessWeek.
“Ohio is falling behind,” Portman said, according to the magazine. “We’re losing businesses to other states. Some of the best and brightest young people in Ohio are leaving our state.”
Fisher agreed the conditions were tough, but said he expects voters will come home to him in the end.
“That’s why we’ll win because, I believe, in the end, when people are mad, they also know who to be mad at,” he said.
