Several weeks of bad press coverage and the slow drip of national democrats abandoning “Retread” Ted Strickland came to a head yesterday when the non-partisan Rothenberg & Gonzalez Political Report moved the Ohio Senate race from “Tilts Republican” to “Leans Republican.”
Strickland doesn’t seem to be handling the news well. As he hides from the headlines with minimal campaign events scheduled this week, the Columbus Dispatch released this cartoon.
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Rothenberg & Gonzalez Political Report:
“Strickland is now caught in a vicious cycle: As the polling gets worse and the narrative builds against his chances in the race, Democratic-friendly groups are scaling back or canceling television advertising campaigns on his behalf. The lack of ads will hurt his opportunity to change the dynamic of the race, which is necessary to get groups to invest money back into the state.”
Cleveland.com:
“Senate Majority PAC, the Senate Democrats’ main super PAC, has canceled an additional $3 million worth of ads on behalf of Ted Strickland through mid-October…These moves show that, barring some major shakeup, national Democrats are preparing to abandon Strickland for good in Ohio’s U.S. Senate race, where he is trying to unseat Republican incumbent Rob Portman. It’s difficult to imagine that they plan to leave Strickland blowing in the wind for a month, then start an expensive ad campaign on his behalf in mid-October.”
The Columbus Dispatch:
“National Democrats delivered another jolt to the beleaguered Senate campaign of former Gov. Ted Strickland when they scrapped $3 million worth of TV commercials that had been scheduled to run in key markets in Ohio later this month. The decision to kill the commercials is the strongest signal yet that top Democrats in Washington do not believe Strickland can defeat Republican Rob Portman in the November election.”
The Hill:
“The Senate Majority PAC is canceling about $3 million in TV advertising in Ohio scheduled for three critical weeks in late September and early October, a further sign that Democrats are losing hope in knocking off Sen. Rob Portman.”
Associated Press:
“A major national Democratic political group is canceling more ad spending in Ohio’s Senate race as the state’s former governor lags his well-funded Republican opponent. Democratic ex-Gov. Ted Strickland was once considered among his party’s best chances this year to unseat a sitting Republican, Sen. Rob Portman. But Strickland’s campaign has failed to gain traction.”
National Journal:
“Ohio Democrats are now scrambling in what was once considered a top Senate pickup opportunity, thanks in part to an aggressive grassroots campaign by Sen. Rob Portman that strategists from both parties have praised for boosting the first-term Republican over his better-known challenger.”