Former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland (D) sounds awfully like a candidate for U.S. Senate.
In an interview with The Cincinnati Enquirer, Strickland said he hasn’t made a final decision as to whether he will run in the Democratic primary to challenge Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH).
“I’m evaluating whether or not I’m the person who is best position to do this and to win,” Strickland said. “I think I am, but I’m taking this very seriously.”
Strickland’s comments follow a report in the Youngstown Vindicator citing people close to the former governor saying he is planning to run for Senate.
Strickland, 73, has not been on a statewide ballot since 2010. He just barely lost re-election to now Gov. John Kasich (R). If Strickland did decide to run, he would face Cincinnati City Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld (D), 30, who announced his candidacy in January and has been working to grow a sizeable warchest to be a formidable contender against Portman. Sittenfeld has reportedly raised $500,000 so far.
“I’ve raised millions and millions of dollars in my campaigns, both for Congress and for governor,” Strickland said. “Five hundred thousand dollars sounds like a huge sum of money, if that’s what he’s raised, but that does not dissuade me at all and neither does Rob Portman’s $6 million or so…that is absolutely not a factor.”
