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Key Endorsements In U.S. Senate Race Bring Surprises

Andy Chow
L-R U.S Senator Rob Portman and Challenger Ted Strickland

There have been some key endorsements in Ohio’s U.S. Senate race during the past couple of days.

The Ohio Conference of Teamsters has endorsed Republican Incumbent Senator Rob Portman, saying Portman stopped pension cuts for retirees that could have gone as high as 70 percent. The Teamsters had endorsed Portman’s Democratic opponent Ted Strickland in his bid for Governor in 2006 and his re-election bid in 2010. Another union that has endorsed Strickland in the past, the Ohio Fraternal Order of Police, is also endorsing Portman. But Strickland has gotten the endorsement from the Ohio Association of Professional Firefighters. That group cited Portman’s vote against the 9/11 First Responders Health Bill and Strickland’s support of the fight against SB5, a successful effort to repeal a state law that limited collective bargaining, as reasons for its decision.

Contact Jo Ingles at jingles@statehousenews.org.