LIMA — The views are as different as night and day.
In large part, most everyone knows exactly what Ted Strickland and and incumbent Rob Portman stand for and how they plan to go about business as senator. While Strickland stands behind his claims as to what will and will not work for Ohioans in their government, he knows the race is truly a battle of which candidate will be able to rally their supporters to get out and vote.
Strickland held a considerable 48-39 percent lead for the Senate seat as recent as April, but that lead has since fell to 44-41 percent according to a Quinnipiac poll, a virtual tie due to a three percent margin of error. Strickland made a campaign stop at the Allen County Democratic Fall Dinner. He encouraged his supporters to get out and vote in what he called an important election.
“Ohio is the ultimate swing state,” Strickland said. “I believe that you cannot win in Ohio without appealing to every region.”
Strickland said that he understands there are some counties in Ohio that he would not win. However, he said if you can swing some of those counties where he might have got 39 percent to 47 percent, it would make the difference. Strickland said he believes he is the “better fit” for Ohians because he defends the middle class.
“Every decision I made as governor, I considered the effect it would have on every citizen,” Strickland said.
Strickland said he is an ideal candidate for the middle class, a group he said was suffering from what he called “the middle-class squeeze.” He said wealth is being created in Ohio, but that it is staying with the wealthy “one percent” while middle class wages remain stagnant.
“I talked to a lady the other day who had an elderly mother suffering from Alzheimer’s,” Strickland said. “She has two kids in college she is trying to help. She worked all her life and is reaching retirement. She is being squeezed. This has been happening to many people.”
Strickland said Ohio had the opportunity to have two strong senators representing the state, mentioning U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown. He reflected to a time when Howard Metzenbaum and John Glenn represented the state.
“People just want the opportunity to live a decent middle class life,” Strickland said. Trickle-down economics has never worked. I believe you build by the bottom up and the middle out. You have a good-paying middle class job and you can buy a house, a car and help your kids with college. It hasa broad sweeping effect on the economic system.”
Allen County Democrat Party chairman Bev McCoy said that Strickland is the right choice with his experience. In addition to serving as Ohio governor, he has been a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and was a delegate to the United Nations.
“He initiated several worthwhile programs in the state,” McCoy said. “He has proven his worth to the people.”
“The U.S. Senate shouldn’t be a place where millionaires go to look after the interests of billionaires,” Strickland said. “I’m running because I believe anyone who works hard ought to be able to live in a comfortable home, send their kids to college and save for retirement. I will never forget where I came from and my door will always be open to the people of Ohio.”
Strickland grew up in rural Scioto County as the 8th of nine children, and his family struggled at times to get by.
Strickland said he has no animosity towards Portman and found him to be a “good man,” but admitted that the two differ on just about every issue politically.
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