Ted Strickland’s Democratic primary opponent is accusing him of "ducking" debates in the race for Ohio Senate.
P.G. Sittenfeld, a 31-year-old Cincinnati city councilman running for Senate, has repeatedly requested Strickland agree to debates ahead of the March primary, demands that Strickland, a 74-year-old former Ohio governor and congressman, has ignored. Now, the editorial board of a local publication is echoing Sittenfeld’s calls, shaming the Ohio Democratic Party for not yet seeing the "value" in sanctioning primary debates.
"Democratic leaders would do well to see the value. A party struggling to deliver statewide victories would gain a somewhat larger platform upon which to make its case, not to mention feature a generational continuity, Sittenfeld in his 30s, Strickland in his 70s," an editorial published in Friday’s edition of the Akron Beacon Journal read.
Despite disapproval from some prominent Ohio Democrats, the state party rushed to endorse Strickland for the nomination not two months after he announced his campaign for Senate.
"That the party turned to Strickland isn’t just about his winning (and losing) statewide. Democrats lack a strong cast of younger candidates," the Beacon Journal editorial board further wrote. "Yet in P.G. Sittenfeld, the party has a smart, attractive candidate who adds freshness and energy to its profile. So, feature him on a larger stage, and even help Ted Strickland sharpen his skills. Seize the opportunity for the party in a series of debates."
In a statement to reporters Thursday following the online release of the editorial, Sittenfeld spokesman Dale Butland accused Strickland of "ducking" the debates at the expense of Ohio Democratic voters.
"Ted’s still ducking---but Ohio voters deserve a chance to hear and compare the Democratic Senate candidates side by side," Butland stated.
Sittenfeld, who spoke Friday at an Akron Press Club event, has justified his call for debates by pointing out Strickland’s lack of position on the Keystone XL pipeline and the difference of positions between the two candidates on issues like gun control and the Depression-era banking law Glass-Steagall.
Strickland has dodged the call for debates by insisting that he remains focused on incumbent Sen. Ron Portman (R., Ohio), against whom the winner of the Democratic primary will compete in the general election. Strickland has regarded Portman as his "enemy."
The Akron Beacon Journal is not the sole publication that has called for debates between Strickland and Sittenfeld. In August, the Toledo Blade editorial board urged the Ohio Democratic Party to "embrace, not ignore," the prospect of debates between the two candidates. The editorial further accused Strickland and the state party of "obstructing" Sittenfeld’s "credible" campaign.
Sittenfeld, who is largely unknown to Ohio voters, is trailing Strickland significantly in the polls.
The Strickland campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment. One of Strickland’s spokesmen, Dennis Willard, is a former employee of the Beacon Journal.