Strickland for Governor

Strickland for governor? Now, that's a contest. Sunday, May 15, 2005 Brent Larkin Plain Dealer Columnist Strickland for governor? Now, that's a contest. Let's look at the credentials of one candidate for governor of Ohio. He's a deeply religious Methodist minister. And he's a veteran congressman who is popular with many of the southern and rural Ohioans who have twice voted for President George W. Bush. The National Rifle Association has graded his voting record an "A." He supports a ban on partial-birth abortions and just last month voted for a bill making it illegal to dodge parental consent laws by taking minors across state lines for abortions. A supporter of most environmental issues, he once sought a moratorium on Clean Air Act regulations that affect industries in his region. Given that background, one might ask, "Who is this Republican congressman?" And therein lies the potential beauty of Ted Strickland's candidacy for governor. Strickland is a Democrat. And with money and a message, Strickland is an ideal candidate to end the Republicans' 16-year hold on the governor's office. This snapshot is somewhat misleading, as Strickland will never be mistaken for a conservative. But neither is he a cookie-cutter liberal who would be vulnerable to the type of assault that ruined John Kerry's presidential campaign in Ohio. After initially saying he would not be a candidate for governor next year, Strickland recently changed his mind. "A few weeks ago, I was reading to some second-graders in a school in Belmont County and afterwards spent time with teachers who told me about the terrible conditions and lack of resources in their school," explained the five-term congressman from Lisbon. "I walked out of that school and told a staff member that we were witnessing the disintegration of our state. And it was then that I came to the decision I was willing to give up my House seat and take this risk." Nice story, but chances are the about-face was a wee bit more complex. Nevertheless, Strickland's decision came at a time when evidence is building that Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman, the only other announced Democratic candidate, isn't ready for prime time. And the decision also complicates matters for Lee Fisher, the 1998 Democratic candidate for governor, who also wants to run. Fisher will decide soon. His Northeast Ohio base would make him a viable candidate in the Democratic primary. But Strickland will probably be organized labor's candidate in the primary, and that's a big problem for a Fisher candidacy. To win the primary, Strickland needs organized labor's support and money. To win the general election, he must find a way to distance himself from those whose help he'll need in the primary. No one is more proficient at wrecking statewide candidacies in Ohio than organized labor and the state Democratic Party. Miraculously, some of the labor geniuses who thought Rob Burch would be an ideal candidate to run against George Voinovich for governor in 1994 are still in power. Even before he raises the money, Strickland needs a message. Telling voters that Republican control of the state has been very bad for Ohio is the easy part. "People know Ohio is in desperate need of change," he said the other day. "Ohio is filled with potential that is not being realized because of an arrogant, entrenched, one-party rule in this state. We need a governor with vision - someone with the personal skills and right attitude to tell people the truth, pull people together and figure out how to move Ohio forward." The tougher message for Strickland will be the specifics of how he'll do things differently. Sure, the state doesn't invest enough in education, especially higher education. And cutting back support for libraries while rewarding nursing-home owners is indefensible. But Strickland needs to do more than promise to make sound investments in Ohio's future. He needs to explain in detail how he'll pay for those investments. "Obviously, I've got some homework to do, but I can do that," he said. "When it comes to my knowledge base, I will be a very credible candidate." Most Republican leaders know the potential for disaster in 2006 has never been more real. They know they can't win next year's race for governor on their record. But they also know the Democrats are more than capable of losing it. If Strickland runs the right race, he's the Republicans' worst nightmare.