Ohio Democrats are trying to turn up the heat on the U.S. Senate to take action on the empty Supreme Court seat.
State Democratic lawmakers are supporting a resolution – which has no force of law – that would call on the U.S. Senate to act on President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nomination, Merrick Garland.
Polls show a majority of Americans wants the Senate to act, which means the issue actually could be helping Democrats like Ted Strickland, who’s going up against incumbent Republican Sen. Rob Portman in what is expected to be one of the most hotly contested races in the country.
But Ohio Sen. Michael Skindell of Lakewood insists that his resolution is not about politics.
“We should not be concerned how it politically impacts a particular Senate race; the U.S. Senate should be doing its duty now,” Skindell said.
Portman has met with Garland but says voters should decide in November’s presidential election which political party they want making that nomination. Ohio's other senator, Democrat Sherrod Brown, says voters already made that choice when they elected Barack Obama twice.
