National Democratic groups bailing on Ohio Senate race

A major Democratic group is canceling ad spending in the Ohio Senate race where Democratic former Gov. Ted Strickland has failed to get traction against incumbent GOP Sen.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee was planning on a nine-day ad buy in OH starting September 13.

The Washington Post reported that the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the campaign arm of Senate Democrats, was also pulling back on ad buys then.

Strickland spokesman David Bergstein brushed off the DSCC’s delay in ad spending.

“We’re proud to support Ted’s campaign in a variety of ways, including with the ad buy we are funding right now featuring an ad with important information about Trump and Portman and their unsafe positions on women’s health”, said DSCC spokeswoman Sadie Weiner.

As rumors and speculation abound regarding the DSCC’s motives for delaying its ad buy and moving the funds elsewhere, the Strickland campaign struggled to downplay the announcement.

The DSCC’s decision, which nixed about $500,000 worth of advertising, is by no means final. Please see our terms of service for more information.

OH and national Democrats said they expect to see the race tighten in coming weeks as Strickland and outside groups expand their own spending on the contest, countering Portman’s messaging about Strickland’s tenure as governor. By July 1, Portman had raised more than $15 million, the most of any endangered incumbent in the Senate, and he headed into the home stretch of the campaign with a war chest of $13.2 million. Strickland trailed with $7.1 million raised.

“I will admit right now I’m a little behind, but I’m not a dead dog because they’re still kicking me”, he said.

Included in a new web ad campaign is a largely forgotten 2010 scandal involving prison workers at the Governor’s Residence that all but evaporated when Democrat Strickland lost re-election.

According to an average of polls from RealClearPolitics, Strickland has not held a lead in this race since early May.