A Democrat in the Ohio Senate called it a "mistake" for the state Democratic Party to endorse Ted Strickland for U.S. Senate in 2016.
State Sen. Tom Sawyer, who represents the state’s 28th district, made the remarks while attending an event at the Akron Press Club Friday during which P.G. Sittenfeld, the 31-year-old Cincinnati city councilman challenging Strickland for the party’s nomination, spoke.
Despite Sittenfeld’s candidacy, the Ohio Democratic Party hurriedly endorsed Strickland, a former Ohio governor and congressman, not two months after he announced his campaign for U.S. Senate in February.
"I’m not endorsing anyone at this point," Sawyer said Friday, according to the Akron Beacon Journal. "I’m not making the same mistake as the Ohio Democratic Party."
Sawyer did say that Sittenfeld’s remarks, which were on gun control, amounted to an impressive "policy speech--not a stump speech."
Strickland, like the state Democratic Party, has appeared to largely ignore Sittenfeld’s campaign. The former Ohio governor has refused to debate his young competitor, insisting that he is fully focused on incumbent Sen. Rob Portman (R., Ohio), who the winner of the March Democratic primary will face in the general election.
Meanwhile, Sittenfeld has repeatedly asked to debate Strickland, accusing him of "ducking" the deliberations. The editorial boards of local publications have also called for Strickland to debate Sittenfeld.
Sawyer is not the lone Ohio Democrat who has disapproved of the way in which the party backed Strickland for the nomination. Paul DeMarco, a prominent Democratic activist and donor, and other Ohioans opposed to the party’s decision to back Strickland launched a Super PAC to support Sittenfeld.
In its first two weeks, New Leadership for Ohio, the Super PAC, raised $370,000.
In his calls for debates, Sittenfeld has pointed to the difference in opinions between he and Strickland on issues like gun control and Strickland’s refusal to weigh in on the Keystone XL pipeline.
A representative for the Ohio Democratic Party did not immediately respond to a request for comment.