As has been the trend throughout the race – Retread Ted’s lackluster campaign garnered attention over the weekend. Leading into Election Day, Politico highlighted Strickland’s extremely high campaign spending, the liberal news site Salon wrote that the Democratic establishment has “gone mad,” and the Toledo Blade highlighted the many flaws of the Strickland campaign while standing with the paper’s longstanding tradition against formally endorsing.
Here are the highlights:
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“At the most obvious level, this race pits an aging, backward-looking insider against a young, forward-thinking outsider. As [Former Democratic Ohio Governor Dick] Celeste said, it’s ‘a race between the future and the past.’” (Paul Rosenberg, “The Democratic establishment has gone mad – and 2016 will be last stand for party hacks,” Salon, 3/12/16)
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“…Mr. Strickland has run as if his party’s nomination were a foregone conclusion.” (Editorial, “Look closely at Senate contest,” Toledo Blade, 3/13/16)
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“Former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland spent almost as much as he raised in the pre-primary reporting period before Ohio’s U.S. Senate contest.” (Kevin Robillard, “Strickland’s pre-primary spending high in Ohio,” Politico, 3/1//16)
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“He [Ted Strickland] has largely limited his campaign appearances to friendly audiences, and even other Democrats have noted his overall lack of visibility.” (Editorial, “Look closely at Senate contest,” Toledo Blade, 3/13/16)
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“Strickland spent $479,965 between the beginning of the year and Feb. 24, according to FEC documents, while raising $483,919. The Democrat’s campaign now has just over $2 million on hand.” (Kevin Robillard, “Strickland’s pre-primary spending high in Ohio,” Politico, 3/1//16)
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“’What we have here is a race between the future and the past,’ [Former Democratic Ohio Governor Dick] Celeste continued. ‘When I say the past, I’m talking about the Democratic Party itself. It is trying to operate in an old way. And that old way was insiders who tried to make decisions and insiders who tried to call the shots. And that’s not what people want.’” (Paul Rosenberg, “The Democratic establishment has gone mad – and 2016 will be last stand for party hacks,” Salon, 3/12/16)
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“Aside from taking part in a joint interview at the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Mr. Strickland has refused to debate Mr. Sittenfeld, despite offers by media outlets (including The Blade) and other groups across the state to sponsor such forums. That leaves him open to charges that he has disdained not only voters but also the democratic process, displaying the attributes of a comfortable career politician.” (Editorial, “Look closely at Senate contest,” Toledo Blade, 3/13/16)
- “[Strickland] now claims to have undergone a conversion [on guns], but even so he admitted, ‘My record is mixed and spotty and I could be criticized for that.’” (Paul Rosenberg, “The Democratic establishment has gone mad – and 2016 will be last stand for party hacks,” Salon, 3/12/16)