OH-Sen: Cincinnati Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld likely running

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

NJ quotes some senior Dem strategists calling Sittenfeld their most promising prodigy since Brown.

I thought their "most promising prodigy" was FitzGerald... and we see how that turned out.

According to Lebron and literally no one else.  I doubt even FitzGerald would vote for FitzGerald.

He was a good rising star, at the time. Even you have to admit, we can't be like the Wisconsin Democratic Party and expect the same two people (Strickland and Ryan) to run for everything. Redfern made a huge mistake by not looking into FitzGerald more, but one bad apple shouldn't mean Sittenfeld doesn't deserve a chance at running here. We need to start looking towards our party's future.

Connie Pillich, P.G. Sittenfield, Tim Ryan, Zach Klein, Lou Gentile, Mike Stinziano, and John Patrick Carney are all rising stars.  Leland, Budish, Brown, Strickland, and Cordrey are all well-established candidates with statewide potential (well, Brown is already Senator, but you get the idea).  Cranley, Whaley, and Ginther (down the road) each also have statewide potential.  FitzGerald was never considered an up-and-comer, nor did anyone ever really like him.  He just got to be the sacrificial lamb once it became clear Kasich was gonna win.

All of them are rising stars, yes. You can even throw DeGeeter, Kamrass, Clyde, Turner, Schiavoni, Boccieri, Phillips, or Ramos in the rising star category.

Ed FitzGerald we'll have to agree to disagree on. He made a big name for himself as Mayor of Lakewood, he survived a crowded Democratic primary for CC Exec. and he did what he said he would do - clean up corruption in the former county government, balancing the county deficit, getting some new and needed county charter amendments passed and approved, establish new initiatives like his college-savings program, and he gained statewide acclamation by the party after he stood up to Husted in 2012 on voting rights. He wasn't well-liked by the County Council President, and he certainly made some enemies along the way, but he also had a lot of close friends and party leaders urging him to run for governor after others opted out.

But like I said, Ed's the past. He's in the private sector and is done with politics. He appeared publicly for possibly the last time after showing up to show his support on Sunday for the new incumbent Cuyahoga County Executive, Armond Budish. Ed's done with, and eventually Strickland will be to.

We got to make room for the Sittenfeld's and Gentile's and DeGeeter's to take shape. Give Sittenfeld a chance to prove his ability to run a statewide campaign, Gentile would be worthwhile to run against Johnson in the coming years, and DeGeeter can probably replace Skindell when he retires. And so on.

Sittenfield should be saved for a race he can actually win.  Maybe get him elected Hamilton County Commissioner or have him replace Cranley as Mayor eventually and we'll see.

[LeBron]

And right as I said all of that, there's some huge, but terrible news regarding the Senate race. Portman is upping the stakes here.....

Rob Portman announced a list of 250 ORP endorsements he received recently, including from Tea Party darling and corrupt State Treasurer Josh Mandel. He also announced he has a fundraising haul now of $5.8M on hand. So from the way it looks, he's just going to buy himself another term in the Senate even though he doesn't deserve it at all.

Other major endorsements he received are from:
- All of the other GOP elected statewide officials (including Governor John Kasich, Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor, Secretary of Suppression Jon Husted, AG Mike DeWine and Auditor Dave Yost)

- Every member of the U.S. House Ohio Republican Delegation - Most notably House Speaker John Boehner and Tea Party Congressman Jim Jordan

- Jean Schmidt, and the now incumbent Brad Wenstrup - successors to Portman in his old House district in Southwest Ohio

- Former Governor George Voinovich

- Every Republican Ohio State Senator (21) - most notably Senate President Keith Faber, Majority Leader Tom Patton, State Sen. Larry Obhof, and State Sen. Frank LaRose who's arguably the most moderate Republican politician in the legislature. However, he has not received endorsements from State Sen. Kris Jordan who's well known for proposing the fetal heartbeat bill before the Senate and State Sen. Jim Hughes.

- 54 of the 65 Republicans in the Ohio House of Representatives. He's receiving endorsements from Speaker Rosenberger, Amstutz, Sears, Dovilla and other establishment leaders. Unfortunately, there were some Tea Party defections who did endorse Portman here as well. Brinkman, Dever, Roegner, C. Hagan, Retherford, Maag, Koehler, Schaeffer, Thompson, and Butler. However, Hood, Young, Zeltwanger, Vitale and Kraus are not caving in to the ORP's demands and did not endorse Portman. Massive FFs, and hopefully one of them (w/ the exception of Kraus) challenges Portman.

- Former Speaker Bill Batchelder, and Damschroder and Wachtmann, former far-right State Reps. also endorsed Portman. State Rep. Matt Huffman who's known for his recent redistricting reform accomplishment also threw in his endorsement.

- Ohio Republican Party Chairman Matt Borges

- County GOP Chairmen from 72 of the 88 counties

- Most ORP Central Committeemen

- Franklin County Auditor Clarence Mingo - a big rising star in the Ohio GOP

- Cincinnati Councilman Charlie Winburn

- Cuyahoga County Councilmen Jack Schron and David Greenspan

These are among the biggest names on that list. But wow. This really shows the state party is united around Portman (although some of these endorsements probably were not willingly), and he avoided several potential primary challengers here. I guess this is Kasich's "reward" to Portman for staying out of the Presidential primary so that Kasich can attempt to fulfill his own ambitions in doing that.

Also, with this said, the Wiki page needs to be edited now for the Republican primary.

[Vosem]

These are among the biggest names on that list. But wow. This really shows the state party is united around Portman (although some of these endorsements probably were not willingly), and he avoided several potential primary challengers here. I guess this is Kasich's "reward" to Portman for staying out of the Presidential primary so that Kasich can attempt to fulfill his own ambitions in doing that.

I really doubt that Kasich intends to run for President in 2016, and I really don't think Portman was ever in serious danger of a primary challenge (and I doubt, unless there's a very large Democratic wave, that he's in particular danger in the general election either, though that's not a 100% thing in this state).

And why doesn't he deserve another term? He has a fantastic record in the Senate, having become one of the Republican leaders on economic policy and having been considered for the vice Presidency at one point. And how in the hell is Josh Mandel a 'Tea Party darling' or 'corrupt'?

You're hurting my head

[justfollowingtheelections]

Never heard of this kid but if he runs and wins, he could become a presidential candidate at some point in the future.

[TJ in Oregon]

Sittenfeld is surprisingly sane and reasonable for a City Councilman from the Hipster McHipsterville part of  Cincinnati and I actually do think he has the potential for a bright future within the Democratic Party. I also think that, barring scandal or a wave, he has next to zero chance of unseating Portman. Sittenfeld is a great darkhorse candidate (cuing Joni Ernst or similar comparison) but in order for the darkhorse to win, the lead horse has to stumble, and I can't see Portman making a major gaffe or series of gaffes that undoes him a la Bruce Brailey. Sittenfeld doesn't have the resume to challenge Portman on even close to a neutral year. I'll gladly take him over Sherrod Brown though!

[Mister Mets]

Biden was a city councilman when he defeated an incumbent Senator in a wave election.

So it's possible. If unlikely.

I don't know if the Ohio Democrats have anyone better. Traditionally credible candidates aren't going to run in a race where they're the underdogs.

A young newcomer might have an okay chance at impressing the base.

[Maxwell]

If he performs solidly against Portman, he has a bright future. I'm sure he has a better shot at Governor in 2018, but he may be more of a legislative type.

I've seen some interviews of him and he's very telegenic.

[RogueBeaver]

The Hill: Strickland's ideal for Dems, but most buzz around Sittenfeld. Wonder who pulls the trigger.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Senate control will depend on whether Bennett and Harry Reid can get their act together and win. Not necessarily true that it depends on Ohio.

New Hamsphire, ILLINOIS, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Colorado and Nevada are our 272 firewall.

[IceSpear]

The Hill: Strickland's ideal for Dems, but most buzz around Sittenfeld. Wonder who pulls the trigger.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Uh...no.

[RogueBeaver]

He jumped in this morning. Congrats, Adam. Maybe he's thinking of Mikulski as a precedent...

[IceSpear]

He jumped in this morning. Congrats, Adam. Maybe he's thinking of Mikulski as a precedent...

Hopefully he bows out if Strickland decides to run...

[RogueBeaver]

He wouldn't say whether he would. My guess is Strickland's not running. So question is whether Sittenfeld follows Mikulski or Grimes. Kondik thinks Sittenfeld's really aiming for Gov.

[justfollowingtheelections]

Why would anyone want an 80 year old Strickland running anyway?  The Democrats are better off with a fresh face IMO.

[IceSpear]

Why would anyone want an 80 year old Strickland running anyway?  The Democrats are better off with a fresh face IMO.

Because it's not the best strategy to run a city council member against an incumbent that is a fundraising powerhouse. Sittenfeld seems like he'd be a good candidate in the future, but I'm more interested in winning the seat than furthering his political career.

And Stickland would be 75, not 80.

[RogueBeaver]

Another name floated is Betty Sutton.

[justfollowingtheelections]

Why would anyone want an 80 year old Strickland running anyway?  The Democrats are better off with a fresh face IMO.

Because it's not the best strategy to run a city council member against an incumbent that is a fundraising powerhouse. Sittenfeld seems like he'd be a good candidate in the future, but I'm more interested in winning the seat than furthering his political career.

And Stickland would be 75, not 80.

Huge difference.

[justfollowingtheelections]

If you don't mind me making a suggestion, I think a good candidate for the Ohio Senate seat would be Christina Romer.  I don't really know if she is eligible to run because she is a Berkeley professor, but she was instrumental in directing ARRA funds to Ohio, especially her hometown of Canton, Ohio.  She's very passionate about Ohio and she would be able to run on a positive message.

[henster]

Not a serious candidate.

[Maxwell]

Another name floated is Betty Sutton.

Sutton is probably more like if Dems give up on this seat and convince Sittenfield to go for Governor.

[RogueBeaver]

Early Pub oppo on PGS: he's praised OWS.

[badgate]

Early Pub oppo on PGS: he's praised OWS.

They're helping him win over the Democratic base! Wonderful!

[Brewer]

Early Pub oppo on PGS: he's praised OWS.

They're helping him win over the Democratic base! Wonderful!

Yeah, both of the oppo research exhibits are particularly lame. We're so far out that obviously there's an enormous chance that something possibly more damaging will be found, but these examples are pathetic.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Early Pub oppo on PGS: he's praised OWS.

More power to him!

[windjammer]

The OH democratic party is a joke party.