Portman attacks Strickland’s record as governor in new round of ads

Sen. Rob Portman’s (R-Ohio) campaign will release a new ad on Monday attacking Ted Strickland, his Democratic opponent, for his record as governor of the Buckeye State as polls show the two running even in Ohio’s Senate race.

The ad, which was viewed first by The Hill, is part of a six-figure digital ad buy the Portman campaign hopes will reach 2 million viewers.

The first ad calls the Strickland administration “one of the most dysfunctional in Ohio history” and accuses him of “causing major protests” for cutting social safety net programs.

“Community health centers. Colleges. K through 12 schools. Drug and alcohol addiction services, even food pantries, were all cut,” the narrator in the ad states. “Yet Strickland left behind a disastrous $8 billion budget gap even after raising our taxes. Don’t let ‘Retread Ted’ take Ohio backward again.”

In addition to spending a decade in the House, Strickland served one term as governor of Ohio beginning in 2007. He lost his reelection bid in 2010 to current Gov. John Kasich, a current Republican presidential candidate.

Strickland campaign spokeswoman Liz Margolis fired back:

“Just like the ultimate Washington insider that he is, Senator Rob Portman isn’t telling the truth about Ted’s proven record of fighting for Ohio’s working people,” she said. “Ted balanced the budget every year, protected vital services in the midst of a global recession, and oversaw a tax cut for every Ohioan.”

Margolis accused Portman of slashing billions from drug abuse prevention programs and said he voted for cuts to Pell Grant programs “in order to spend more of our tax dollars on handouts to his wealthy and well-connected friends.”

“That kind of blatant hypocrisy from Portman is exactly what Ohioans hate about the dysfunctional politics of Washington and D.C. insiders,” she said.

Polls show Portman and Strickland locked in a tight race for Ohio Senate.

A Public Policy Polling survey released Monday found each candidate taking 38 percent support, with 23 percent of voters undecided.

The poll found both candidates underwater with their approval ratings.

Thirty-two percent said they have a favorable view of Portman, compared to 40 percent who said they have a negative view of him. Strickland’s numbers are slightly worse, with 35 percent saying they view him positively and 44 percent saying they view him negatively.