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After Losing By 20 Points, Ted Strickland Doesn't Rule Out Another Run for Office

December 13, 2016

Failed Ohio Senate candidate Ted Strickland declined to rule out running for office in the future and compared himself to Vice President Joe Biden in a brief interview Monday night.

Strickland attempted to unseat Sen. Rob Portman (R., Ohio) in November and wound up losing by over 20 points in what was originally supposed to be a competitive Senate race.

"Do you have plans to remain active in politics?" Jeremy Pelzer, a reporter for Cleveland.com, asked Strickland.

"Well, I certainly will remain active in the things I care about," Strickland responded.

Pelzer then asked Strickland if he plans to run for office in the future.

"I'm sort of like Joe Biden," Strickland said comparing himself to the vice president, who has not ruled out running for president in 2020.

"I'm never going to say never," Strickland continued.

Leading up to the 2016 election cycle, the Ohio Senate race was expected to be one of the closest contests. A series of gaffes by Strickland allowed Portman to open up a strong lead during the summer, and the incumbent never looked back. Portman ended up winning last month by over twenty points and more than a million votes.

Previously serving as a governor of Ohio, Strickland was one of failed Democratic Senate candidates who attempted to make a return to public office. Former Sens. Russ Feingold and Evan Bayh both ran for Senate and lost in Wisconsin and Indiana, respectively.

Strickland told Pelzer that since losing he has spent his free time "painting walls and ripping up old carpet."