Pence: Strickland’s comment on Scalia’s death are ‘appalling’ and ‘callous’

Ted Strickland, a Democratic Senate candidate, has apologized for cheering the timing of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia’s death.

“A lot of average citizens out there don’t understand the importance of that court”, the former OH governor said.

“I mean, the death of Scalia saved labor from a bad decision”, he said to cheers.

“I don’t mean anyone ill but what happened, it happened at a good time”, Strickland said, which was followed by applause from the leftwing audience.

The Strickland campaign dodged repeated questions regarding the comments Wednesday.

“That was an insensitive remark and I apologize”, he said.

Strickland was talking about a 4-4 ruling by the Supreme Court in March that many viewed as a victory for unions.

The “terrible decision” the former governor was referring to was the high court’s likely finding in a major right-to-work case, Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association.

Scalia was a conservative who served on the Supreme Court, and died unexpectedly, at age 79, in February.

Strickland, a Democrat who is running to unseat Republican Sen.

Anti-Portman ads also are filling OH airwaves in one of 2016’s most expensive election contests. Portman recently received the endorsements of the United Mine Workers, the Ohio Fraternal Order of Police, the International Union of Operating Engineers local 18, and the Ohio Teamsters.