by M.L. Schultze
The Democratic underdog in Ohio’s U.S. Senate race gained some critical ground Tuesday when it comes to endorsements. The event in Akron was set in the context of Ohio’s past and the future.
P.G. Sittenfeld is a 31-year-old Cincinnati councilman who’s running in the March primary against the Ohio Democratic Party’s endorsed candidate, former Gov. Ted Strickland, who is now 74.
But not all Democrats are falling in line behind Strickland. Five from Summit County, including Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan and Summit County Executive Russ Pry, stood literally behind Sittenfeld, as he called on Democrats to make him the candidate to take on incumbent GOP Sen. Rob Portman.
“What elections at their best are supposed to be about is the future. Looking forward,” Sittenfeld said. “And I don’t want to let this United States Senate campaign be a stale, angry, pointless argument about the past.”
Even before the formal announcement, the Strickland campaign sent out list of the 29 other Northeast Ohio Democrats, including three state senators and eight state representatives, who are backing Strickland.