Theodore "
Ted"
Strickland (born August 4, 1941) was the 68th
Governor of Ohio, serving from 2007 to 2011. A member of the
Democratic PartyThe Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, he previously served in the
United States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, representing (1993-1995, 1997-2007).
In the
2006 gubernatorial electionThe Ohio gubernatorial election of 2006 was held on November 7, 2006, and was a race for the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Ohio. Incumbent Governor Bob Taft could not run for re-election, as Ohio governors are limited to two consecutive terms in office....
, Strickland was elected to succeed term-limited
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
incumbent
Bob TaftRobert Alphonso "Bob" Taft II is an Ohio Republican Party politician. He was elected to two terms of office as the 67th Governor of the U.S. state of Ohio between 1999-2007. After leaving office, Taft started working for the University of Dayton beginning August 15, 2007.-Personal background:Taft...
after defeating
Ohio Secretary of StateThe Secretary of State is responsible for overseeing elections in the State of Ohio. The Secretary of State also is responsible for registering business entities and granting them the authority to do business within the state, registering secured transactions, and granting access to public...
Ken BlackwellJohn Kenneth Blackwell is an American politician and activist who served as the mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio from 1979 to 1980 and Ohio Secretary of State from 1999 to 2007. A Republican, he was the first African-American to be the candidate for governor of a major party in Ohio. In 2006, Blackwell...
, receiving 60% of the vote. However, he was narrowly defeated for re-election in the
2010 gubernatorial electionThe 2010 Ohio gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 2010. Incumbent Governor Ted Strickland, a Democrat, was defeated by former Republican House Budget Chairman John Kasich.-Background:...
by former U.S. Representative
John KasichJohn Richard Kasich is the 69th and current Governor of Ohio. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing from 1983 to 2001...
.
Strickland serves as a co-chair of the Health Project at the
Bipartisan Policy CenterThe is a non-profit organization that "drives principled solutions through rigorous analysis, reasoned negotiation, and respectful dialogue." Founded in 2007 by former Senate Majority Leaders Howard Baker, Tom Daschle, Bob Dole, and George Mitchell, "BPC combines politically-balanced policymaking...
.
Early life
Born in
LucasvilleLucasville is a census-designated place in Scioto County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,588 at the 2000 census. The village of Lucasville was laid out by Captain John Lucas in June 1819 and recorded August 7, 1819. Captain Lucas built the first tavern in the village and kept it until...
,
OhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, Strickland was one of nine children; his father was a steelworker. A 1959 graduate of
Northwest High SchoolNorthwest High School is a public high school in McDermott, Ohio in Scioto County in Southern Ohio. It is the only high school in the Northwest Local School District...
, Strickland went on to be the first member of his family to attend college. Strickland was awarded a
Bachelor of ArtsA Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in
historyHistory is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
with a minor in
psychologyPsychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
from Asbury College in 1963. In 1966, he received a
Master of ArtsA Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree in guidance counseling from the
University of KentuckyThe University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
and a
Master of DivinityIn the academic study of theology, the Master of Divinity is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America...
from the
Asbury Theological SeminaryAsbury Theological Seminary is a multi-denominational, graduate institution that offers a variety of master degree and postgraduate degree programs through the schools of Biblical Interpretation and Proclamation, Theology and Formation, Practical Theology, World Missions and Evangelism, and...
in 1967. He then returned to the University of Kentucky to earn his
Ph.DDoctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in
counseling psychologyCounseling psychology is a psychological specialty that encompasses research and applied work in several broad domains: counseling process and outcome; supervision and training; career development and counseling; and prevention and health...
in 1980. He is married to
Frances StricklandFrances Strickland is the former First Lady of Ohio and an educational psychologist.- Biography :Frances Strickland grew up on a dairy farm in Simpsonville, Kentucky Shelby County, Kentucky, graduated with a Bachelor's Degree from Murray State University, and was a health and physical education...
, an
educational psychologistEducational psychology is the study of how humans learn in educational settings, the effectiveness of educational interventions, the psychology of teaching, and the social psychology of schools as organizations. Educational psychology is concerned with how students learn and develop, often focusing...
and author of a widely used screening test for kindergarten-age children.
Strickland worked as a counseling psychologist at the
Southern Ohio Correctional FacilityThe Southern Ohio Correctional Facility is a maximum security prison in Lucasville, Ohio, United States. The prison was constructed in 1972 and currently contains the death house for Ohio where death row inmates are executed...
in
Lucasville, OhioLucasville is a census-designated place in Scioto County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,588 at the 2000 census. The village of Lucasville was laid out by Captain John Lucas in June 1819 and recorded August 7, 1819. Captain Lucas built the first tavern in the village and kept it until...
He was an administrator at a Methodist children's home and was a professor of psychology at
Shawnee State UniversityShawnee State University is a public university in southern Ohio. It is Ohio's newest state-supported university and lies on the north bank of the Ohio River in the city of Portsmouth in Scioto County.Shawnee State University was established in 1986...
. His only known pastoral position within a church was a very brief associate pastoral position at Wesley United Methodist Church located at the corner of Offnere and Gallia Streets,
Portsmouth, OhioPortsmouth is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Scioto County. The municipality is located on the northern banks of the Ohio River and east of the Scioto River in Southern Ohio. The population was 20,226 at the 2010 census.-Foundation:...
(now Cornerstone United Methodist Church).
Election to Congress
Strickland ran for U.S. representative for
Ohio's 6th congressional districtOhio's 6th congressional district is currently represented by Representative Bill Johnson . This district runs along the southeast side of the state, bordering Kentucky, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania...
in 1976, 1978, and 1980, losing twice to long-time incumbent
William H. HarshaWilliam Howard "Bill" Harsha, Jr. was an American politician who represented Ohio as a Republican in the United States House of Representatives from January 3, 1961 to January 3, 1981.-Biography:...
and later to Harsha's successor and campaign manager,
Bob McEwenRobert D. "Bob" McEwen is a lobbyist and American politician of the Republican Party, who was a member of the United States House of Representatives from southern Ohio's Sixth District, from January 3, 1981 to January 3, 1993...
.
Strickland ran again for the 6th District seat in 1992, once again facing Bob McEwen, who had suffered some political damage by being associated with the
House banking scandalThe House banking scandal broke in early 1992, when it was revealed that the United States House of Representatives allowed members to overdraw their House checking accounts without risk of being penalized by the House bank ....
. The 6th District had been combined with the old 10th District when Ohio lost two seats in Congress following the 1990 census and now covered a huge area stretching from
LebanonThe population at the 2010 census was 20,033. As of the census of 2000, there were 16,962 people residing in the city. The population density was 1,440.6 people per square mile . There were 6,218 housing units at an average density of 528.1 per square mile...
, in
Warren CountyWarren County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. The population was 212,693 at the 2010 census. Its county seat is Lebanon. Warren County was erected May 1, 1803, from Hamilton County, and named for Dr...
, to
MariettaMarietta is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Ohio, United States. During 1788, pioneers to the Ohio Country established Marietta as the first permanent American settlement of the new United States in the Northwest Territory. Marietta is located in southeastern Ohio at the mouth...
, in
Washington CountyWashington County is a county located in the state of Ohio. As of the 2010 census, the population was 61,778. Its county seat is Marietta. The county, the oldest in the state, is named for George Washington. Washington County is included in the Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna, West Virginia-Ohio...
on the opposite side of the state. The district proved a difficult place to campaign, representing half a dozen different media markets and home to no large cities and few unifying influences.
Patrick J. Buchanan, Vice President
Dan QuayleJames Danforth "Dan" Quayle served as the 44th Vice President of the United States, serving with President George H. W. Bush . He served as a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from the state of Indiana....
, and
Oliver NorthOliver Laurence North is a retired U.S. Marine Corps officer, political commentator, host of War Stories with Oliver North on Fox News Channel, a military historian, and a New York Times best-selling author....
came to Ohio to campaign for McEwen, but Strickland narrowly won in the general election on November 3, 1992. He received 122,720 votes to McEwen's 119,252, a plurality of only 3,468 - just over 1.4%. Strickland said "I ran against
Pat RobertsonMarion Gordon "Pat" Robertson is a media mogul, television evangelist, ex-Baptist minister and businessman who is politically aligned with the Christian Right in the United States....
,
Pat BuchananPatrick Joseph "Pat" Buchanan is an American paleoconservative political commentator, author, syndicated columnist, politician and broadcaster. Buchanan was a senior adviser to American Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Ronald Reagan, and was an original host on CNN's Crossfire. He sought...
, the
National Rifle AssociationThe National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
, and Right-to-Life. They threw everything at me. I'm just so happy I beat back those guys. I think they're so divisive." Strickland began serving in January 1993 (103rd Congress).
Congressional career
In 1994, the Republican wave swamped Strickland, who narrowly lost his seat to Republican
Frank CremeansFrank A. Cremeans was an Ohio small-businessman who represented Ohio in the United States House of Representatives as a Republican. He served one term in Congress, from 1995 to 1997....
. In 1996, however, Strickland narrowly won his seat back, taking office in January 1997 (the
105th CongressThe One Hundred Fifth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1997 to January 3, 1999, during the fifth and...
). He faced a strong challenge from
Lieutenant GovernorThe position of lieutenant governor of Ohio was established in 1852. The lieutenant governor becomes governor if the governor resigns, dies in office or is removed by impeachment. Before 1852, the president of the Ohio State Senate would serve as acting governor if a vacancy in the governorship...
Nancy HollisterNancy Putnam Hollister is a Republican politician from the U.S. state of Ohio. Hollister was the first, and to this date only, female Governor of Ohio. She attended Kent State University, and upon leaving college she became a housewife...
in 1998, but turned it back fairly easily. He wasn't seriously challenged again after this and was reelected three more times, and even ran unopposed in 2004. Strickland served on the
Energy and Commerce CommitteeThe Committee on Energy and Commerce is one of the oldest standing committees of the United States House of Representatives. Established in 1795, it has operated continuously—with various name changes and jurisdictional changes—for more than 200 years...
and the
Veterans' Affairs CommitteeThe standing Committee on Veterans' Affairs in the United States House of Representatives oversees agencies, reviews current legislation, and recommends new bills or amendments concerning veterans. Jurisdiction includes retiring and disability pensions, life insurance, education , vocational...
.
2006 Ohio gubernatorial campaign
Strickland successfully ran for Governor of Ohio in 2006, when Governor
Bob TaftRobert Alphonso "Bob" Taft II is an Ohio Republican Party politician. He was elected to two terms of office as the 67th Governor of the U.S. state of Ohio between 1999-2007. After leaving office, Taft started working for the University of Dayton beginning August 15, 2007.-Personal background:Taft...
was term-limited and could not run for re-election. Strickland selected former
Ohio Attorney GeneralThe Ohio Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of Ohio in the United States. The office is filled by general election, held every four years. The Ohio Attorney General is Mike DeWine.-History:...
and 1998 Democratic nominee for governor
Lee FisherLee Fisher was the 64th Lieutenant Governor of Ohio, who served with Governor Ted Strickland from 2007 until 2011.He is a member of the Democratic Party.In addition to serving as Lt...
as his running mate. He was sworn in as governor on January 8, 2007.
Strickland easily won the Democratic primary on May 2, 2006, winning 80 percent of the vote. In the November
general electionIn a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
, he was challenged by
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Secretary of State
Ken BlackwellJohn Kenneth Blackwell is an American politician and activist who served as the mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio from 1979 to 1980 and Ohio Secretary of State from 1999 to 2007. A Republican, he was the first African-American to be the candidate for governor of a major party in Ohio. In 2006, Blackwell...
,
LibertarianThe Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
economist
Bill PeirceWilliam S. "Bill" Peirce was the Libertarian Party of Ohio candidate for Ohio Governor in the November 7, 2006 election. On November 12, 2005, the party made its endorsement of Peirce official....
and
GreenThe Green Party of the United States is a nationally recognized political party which officially formed in 1991. It is a voluntary association of state green parties. Prior to national formation, many state affiliates had already formed and were recognized by other state parties...
Bob FitrakisBob Fitrakis is a Professor of Political Science in the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department at Columbus State Community College, an attorney, reporter, Executive Director of the Columbus Institute for Contemporary Journalism/CICJ Books as well as the Editor of The Free Press .He has a Ph.D...
, but won handily on November 7, 2006, capturing 60% of the vote. Blackwell finished in a distant second with 37% of the vote.
He was endorsed by the Associated General Contractors of Ohio,
Fraternal Order of PoliceThe Fraternal Order of Police is an organization of sworn law enforcement officers in the United States. It claims a membership of over 325,000 members organized in 2100 local chapters , organized into local lodges, state lodges, and the national Grand Lodge...
, National Association of Police Organizations, Cleveland Stonewall Democrats, Ohio Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, Ohio Trooper Coalition, Ohio Education Association,
Ohio Federation of TeachersThe Ohio Federation of Teachers is a statewide federation of unions in Ohio, affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers , AFL-CIO....
, Ohio Association of Professional Fire Fighters, Ohio Legislative Black Caucus,
National Rifle AssociationThe National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
,
The Akron Beacon Journal,
The Columbus DispatchThe Columbus Dispatch is a daily newspaper based in Columbus, Ohio. Its first issue was published on July 1, 1871, and has been the only mainstream daily newspaper in the city since The Columbus Citizen-Journal stopped printing in 1985....
,
The Plain Dealer (Cleveland),
Dayton Daily NewsThe Dayton Daily News is a daily newspaper published in Dayton, Ohio. It is owned by Cox Enterprises. In the 2010 Associated Press Society of Ohio newspaper competition that takes place every year, DaytonDailyNews.com was named "the best large-newspaper web site in Ohio".-History:On August 15,...
,
The Toledo Blade,
The Canton Repository, Mayor
Mark L. MalloryMark Mallory is an American politician of the Democratic Party who is currently serving as the Mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio. His election marked a new era for City Hall as the first two-term Mayor under the City’s new Stronger-Mayor system, the first directly-elected black Mayor, and the first Mayor...
of
CincinnatiCincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, Mayor
Frank G. JacksonFrank George Jackson is an American attorney and politician. He is currently the Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio. He was elected on November 8, 2005, unseating incumbent Jane Campbell and re-elected in 2009...
of
ClevelandCleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, Mayor
Michael B. ColemanMichael B. Coleman is an American politician of the Democratic Party, the 52nd and current mayor of Columbus, Ohio. He is the first African-American mayor of Ohio's capital....
of
ColumbusColumbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, Mayor
Rhine McLinRhine Lana McLin is an American Democratic politician from Ohio. McLin received her Bachelor of Arts in sociology and secondary education from Parsons College and her Master of Education in guidance counseling from Xavier University...
of
DaytonDayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
, Mayor
Carty FinkbeinerCarleton "Carty" S. Finkbeiner is a Democratic Party politician who is the former mayor of Toledo, Ohio. First elected in 1993, he took office on January 1, 1994. In 1997, he defeated challenger Nick Wichowski to win a second term. Term limits prevented him from running a third consecutive time...
of
ToledoToledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
, and Mayor
Jay Williams Roy Kojo Jawara Williams is the executive director of the federal Office of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers, and the former mayor of Youngstown, Ohio. His election in 2005 gained local and regional media attention because it brought Youngstown its first African-American mayor as well...
of
YoungstownYoungstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
.
Media strategy
Strickland began his media campaign for the general election in July by purchasing airtime on Christian radio stations throughout the state. The ad cited a verse from the
Book of MicahThe Book of Micah is one of fifteen prophetic books in the Hebrew bible/Old Testament, and the sixth of the twelve minor prophets. It records the sayings of Mikayahu, meaning "Who is like Yahweh?", an 8th century prophet from the village of Moresheth in Judah...
, calling one "to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God." His televised ads began airing in late September 2006.
Republican support
Strickland's candidacy received some support from Republicans, indicated by many of the pollsters covering the race. Additionally, a number of high profile Republicans publicly announced their support for Strickland at a press conference on September 12, and Strickland's website launched "Republicans For Strickland," which lists over 340 registered Republican endorsers.
Economy
The Strickland administration was largely marred economically by the national Great Recession, which saw employment shrink during his term in the state by 236,000. Between December 2009 and August 2010, however, employment grew in the state by 57,000 positions. The unemployment percentage peaked at 11.0% in March 2010, but had dropped to 10.1% by August of that year. By the fall of 2010, the state had the sixth-fastest growing economy in the country.
Under Strickland the state won the Governor's Cup award from Site Selection Magazine, based on top states for economic development, for his first three years in office. By 2010, the state's business climate had improved from #38 in the nation and #7 in the Midwest when Strickland was elected to #11 in the nation and #1 in the Midwest according to the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council.
He continued to support many of the economic policies of the previous administration under
Bob TaftRobert Alphonso "Bob" Taft II is an Ohio Republican Party politician. He was elected to two terms of office as the 67th Governor of the U.S. state of Ohio between 1999-2007. After leaving office, Taft started working for the University of Dayton beginning August 15, 2007.-Personal background:Taft...
, including H.B. 66, which eliminated the corporate franchise tax in 2010, the tangible personal property tax in 2009, and overall a 17% reduction in personal taxes since 2004. The state had improved to the #15 best personal tax environment by 2009. He supported the renewal of the
Third FrontierThe Third Frontier Project is a type of economic development initiative by the State of Ohio to expand research and technology economic development in the state...
program in 2010, which won the
International Economic Development CouncilThe International Economic Development Council, also known as the IEDC, is an organization for Economic developers. It has more than 4,000 members in North America and around the world, and is the largest organization of its kind in existence...
's
Excellence in Economic Development Award later that year.
Strickland eliminated nearly 250 state business regulations and revised over 1800 to better accommodate growth. He expanded small business credits and proposed the "Build Your Own Business" program, which will facilitate $5,000 micro loans to participants. He passed a unanimous budget of $52 billion over the two fiscal years beginning July 2007 with line-item vetoes; this unanimous approval of the budget was the state's first in 84 years, and during his term he reduced the size of state government by 7%, or 5,000 employees.
In 2008, he signed the state's
renewable portfolio standardA Renewable Portfolio Standard is a regulation that requires the increased production of energy from renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar, biomass, and geothermal...
, calling for 25% of the state's energy to be produced by renewables by 2025. By 2010, the state was ranked #2 in solar production and continued to be a top-five state for "green energy" production.
Education
He had made education a centerpiece of his administration, establishing the
University System of OhioThe University System of Ohio is the public university system of the state of Ohio. Legally unified under Governor Ted Strickland in 2007, the University System of Ohio is governed by the Ohio Board of Regents....
in 2007 as a way to get more Ohioans access to a state-sponsored college, to graduate from in-state public universities, and thus stay in-state for quality jobs. The University System of Ohio is now the nation's largest comprehensive public system of higher education. Between 2009-2010, enrollment at four-year institutions increased by 8%, while enrollment at two-year institutions increased 23%.
Strickland presided over the largest total budget spending on primary education since 1980, including $4 billion for new and better school construction, 250 of which will be "green" schools. When he took office, only 491 of Ohio's 613 public school districts were rated effective or higher and #27 in the nation by
Education WeekEducation Week is a United States national newspaper covering K-12 education. It is published by Editorial Projects in Education , a non-profit organization, which is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland...
. By 2010, 536 had reached the effective or higher mark and were ranked #5 by
Education WeekEducation Week is a United States national newspaper covering K-12 education. It is published by Editorial Projects in Education , a non-profit organization, which is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland...
.
Veteran Affairs
In 2007, Strickland signed legislation exempting military veterans' retirement benefits from state taxation. He signed an executive order creating a council to oversee the eventual establishment of the
Ohio Department of Veterans ServicesThe Ohio Department of Veterans Services is the organization of state government responsible for identifying, connecting with, and advocating for veterans and their families. ODVS is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio and is part of the executive branch of the Ohio state government...
as a cabinet-level agency. In 2008 he signed an executive order creating the Ohio G.I. Promise, the largest expansion of benefits for Ohio veterans since World War Two. He supported passage of the state ballot issue in 2009 authorizing military bonuses for veterans of the Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq wars.
Infrastructure
Strickland created the FAST TRAC initiative, which was aimed at accelerating major infrastructure projects. The first projects approved under the program included the Interstate 70 Additional Lanes, Interstate 71 Grove City Urban Interchange, Interstate 270 - Alum Creek Interchange, Interstate 275—Gilmore Road Interchange, and the Interstate 90 Avon Interchange. He also oversaw the creation 21st Century transportation task force, focused on rejuvenating Ohio's infrastructure. Go Ohio is an outgrowth of that initiative to guide the state's annual $2 billion infrastructure budget.
Healthcare
Strickland's healthcare reforms increased eligibility and expanded coverage for pregnant women, as well as expanding parent's coverage up to the age of 28 for their children. His reforms capped the insurance costs on pre-existing conditions and allowed employees of small businesses to use pre-tax earnings to purchase coverage, reducing the cost by 40% and expanding coverage to over 37,000 Ohioans.
Social issues
On the pre-collegiate level of education, Strickland pushed to cut funding of school vouchers, which critics claimed will have reduced education choice available to the public. He opposed federally subsidized abstinence-only
sex educationSex education refers to formal programs of instruction on a wide range of issues relating to human sexuality, including human sexual anatomy, sexual reproduction, sexual intercourse, reproductive health, emotional relations, reproductive rights and responsibilities, abstinence, contraception, and...
programs.
On the issue of
capital punishmentCapital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
, Strickland delayed three executions until further review and commuted five death sentences. Strickland chose not to commute three additional executions, including two that eventually occurred. The March 20, 2007 execution of
Kenneth BirosKenneth Biros was an American convicted murderer who was sentenced to death and executed for the aggravated murder, attempted rape, aggravated robbery and felonious sexual penetration of a young woman...
, which Strickland did not commute, was later stayed by the
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth CircuitThe United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* Eastern District of Kentucky* Western District of Kentucky...
in
CincinnatiCincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
. Biros was eventually executed in December 2009.
Strickland voted against partial-birth abortion while in the U.S. House, but has said he would veto a near-total abortion ban proposed by Ohio State House member
Tom BrinkmanThomas E. Brinkman, Jr. is a Republican former member of the Ohio House of Representatives from Cincinnati. He is known for his opposition to higher taxes and public spending, and has been nicknamed "Dr...
(R-Cincinnati) that does not include rape, incest or health exceptions.
He signed Ohio's Castle Doctrine legislation in 2008, restoring the presumption of innocence to homeowners acting in self-defense, and expanded state acreage allowed for game hunting.
Strickland held office when a constitutional amendment passed allowing casinos to be built in Cincinnati, Cleveland,
ToledoToledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
and
ColumbusColumbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
. Although originally opposed to the idea of allowing such types of gambling into the state, potential revenue shortfalls caused him to consider the option. More so, the implementation of video lottery terminals at Ohio racetracks also was considered as a revenue source, and Strickland said for about a year that he would ask the courts to weigh in on whether the executive branch has the authority to implement slots through the Ohio Lottery Commission.
Polling
In 2007, Strickland had a 61% approval, 15% disapproval according to Quinnipiac Polling. Strickland's approval ratings have steadily dropped from his highest point when he took office due primarily to the state's economy. By July 2008 Strickland's overall approval rating was down to 44%, with only 12% of Ohioans reporting he is doing a "good" job, and 52% reporting he is only doing a "fair" to "poor" job, with 17% stating Strickland's performance has been poor. (July 2008). The state's economic woes continue to drag down Strickland's administration with the state unemployment rate in June 2009 at 10.5%. A severe budget crisis and a decision by Strickland to delay tax cuts are other factors. By late May, 2010 Gov. Strickland's approval rating was at 55 percent, with 35 percent saying they disapprove of the way he is handling his job. However, by October 2010 his job approval had plummeted to 39%.
Controversies
Arguably the biggest setback to occur during his career as Governor was the loss of a computer backup tape that contained the names and Social Security numbers of 64,000 state employees and their families, and 225,000 other state taxpayers. Especially troubling was that a 22-year-old intern was entrusted to this tape and it was stolen out of his unlocked car; however, the administration has insisted that because of the technical nature of the coding it has not been accessed.
Helen Jones-KelleyHelen Jones-Kelley, was the Director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services , Ohio's largest agency, from 2007-2008. During her tenure, she received substantial media attention for various ODJFS related activities, and for her role in the Controversial Ohio database searches of Joe...
, Strickland’s Director of the
Ohio Department of Job and Family ServicesThe Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, , a department that employs 4,000 full time employees, has an annual budget of more than $17 billion. ODJFS supervises the provision of Medicaid, food stamps, child welfare and child support in Ohio. Also, ODJFS provides services such as unemployment...
(ODJFS), became embroiled in the Controversial Ohio database searches of Joe Wurzelbacher during the last few weeks of the 2008 US Presidential election campaign. The Attorney General's office of Ohio conducted an investigation. On November 7, 2008, Strickland placed Jones-Kelley on paid leave “for possibly using a state computer and
e-mailElectronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
account for political fundraising.” Strickland stated that this action was taken "due to the possibility, as yet unconfirmed, that a state computer or state e-mail account was used to assist in political fund raising." Strickland later released e-mails showing that Jones-Kelley "used her state-issued e-mail account to send names of potential contributors to the Obama campaign." On December 17, 2008, Jones-Kelley resigned from her position as director of ODJFS. Upon Jones-Kelley's resignation,
Douglas E. LumpkinDouglas E. Lumpkin, an Ohio civil servant, was appointed as the director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services , Ohio's largest agency, and a member of the Ohio Governor's Cabinet, by Governor Ted Strickland on December 19, 2008...
was chosen by Governor Strickland to replace her as director of ODJFS.
In 2010, Strickland was embroiled in a scandal at the Governor's Mansion over a work-release program for inmates involved in a cigarette smuggling operation and alcohol consumption which he had no knowledge of. He ordered a review of the decades' old program.
2008 election
Due to his more conservative politics (for instance, he was voted an 'A' by the
NRAThe National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
) and popularity in what is presumed to be a key swing state, Strickland was mentioned as a possible Democratic
Vice PresidentialThe Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
nominee in the 2008 election. Nonetheless, Strickland repeatedly and vehemently
denied"Sherman statement" or "Sherman speech" is American political jargon for a clear and direct statement by a potential candidate indicating that he or she will not run for a particular elected position....
that he would accept a position on the ticket if offered. Most speculation of his potential selection as
Barack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's running mate died out by the summer of 2008.
Strickland spoke on the second night of the 2008 Democratic National Convention. Many commentators, including former
ReaganThe United States presidency of Ronald Reagan, also known as the Reagan administration, was a Republican administration headed by Ronald Reagan from January 20, 1981, to January 20, 1989....
speechwriter
Peggy NoonanPeggy Noonan is an American author of seven books on politics, religion, and culture and a weekly columnist for The Wall Street Journal...
, credited Strickland with delivering the best line of the convention: "You know, it was once said of the first George Bush that he was born on third base and thought he'd hit a triple. Well, with the 22 million new jobs and the budget surplus Bill Clinton left behind, George W. Bush came into office on third base and then he stole second. And John McCain cheered him every step of the way."
2010 gubernatorial campaign
Strickland sought reelection as governor in 2010. On January 19, 2010, he chose
Yvette McGee BrownYvette McGee Brown became the first African-American female justice on the Ohio Supreme Court when she took office on January 1, 2011...
, a former juvenile court judge from central Ohio, as his running mate, running against John Kasich's running mate
Ohio State AuditorThe Ohio State Auditor is responsible for auditing all the public offices of the state of Ohio. The auditor is elected to a four-year term. The current Auditor is Dave Yost....
Mary TaylorMary Taylor is the 65th and current Lieutenant Governor of Ohio.-Early life and business career:Taylor was born in 1961. She attended the Springfield Township school system. She attended the University of Akron, obtaining a Bachelor degree in Accounting and Master's degree in Taxation...
. John Kasich's ties to
Lehman BrothersLehman Brothers Holdings Inc. was a global financial services firm. Before declaring bankruptcy in 2008, Lehman was the fourth largest investment bank in the USA , doing business in investment banking, equity and fixed-income sales and trading Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (former NYSE ticker...
played a role in the campaign. Strickland's running mate, Yvette McGee Brown, attempted to capitalize on Governor Strickland taking Ohio schools from somewhere outside the Top 25 best schools in the nation to number 5 in the nation, according to the news media. John Kasich accused Governor Strickland of raising taxes, while Governor Strickland declared the accusation is untrue. Governor Strickland and Yvette McGee Brown both spoke at President
Barack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's rally in
Columbus, OhioColumbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
shortly before the midterm elections, appearing with singer
John LegendJohn Roger Stephens , better known by his stage name John Legend, is an American singer, musician, and actor. He is the recipient of nine Grammy Awards, and in 2007, he received the special Starlight award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.Prior to the release of his debut album, Stephens' career...
, Strickland's lieutenant governor and U.S. Senate candidate
Lee FisherLee Fisher was the 64th Lieutenant Governor of Ohio, who served with Governor Ted Strickland from 2007 until 2011.He is a member of the Democratic Party.In addition to serving as Lt...
, and former astronaut and U.S. Senator from
OhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
John GlennJohn Herschel Glenn, Jr. is a former United States Marine Corps pilot, astronaut, and United States senator who was the first American to orbit the Earth and the third American in space. Glenn was a Marine Corps fighter pilot before joining NASA's Mercury program as a member of NASA's original...
. The rally drew thousands of attendees, and parts of President Obama's speech were featured on
MSNBCMSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
. The awaited results from Cuyahoga County for the gubernatorial election decided the winner of the governorship on November 2, 2010; Strickland was defeated by
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
John KasichJohn Richard Kasich is the 69th and current Governor of Ohio. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing from 1983 to 2001...
, and thus Yvette McGee Brown also lost that night, to Mary Taylor. In Strickland's concession speech, he mentioned he'd called Governor-elect John Kasich to ask if there was anything he could do to make the transition of power easier. Yvette McGee Brown, defeated Attorney General of Ohio
Richard CordrayRichard Cordray is an American politician of the Democratic Party who last served as the Attorney General of Ohio. He has been chosen to run the enforcement division of the United States Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which officially began operating in July 2011...
, and others appeared onstage with Strickland as he delivered his concession.
Lame duck nominations
Despite being denied a second term as Governor, Strickland still was entitled to nominate individuals for specific state appointments, which are required to be approved by the
Ohio SenateThe Ohio State Senate is the upper house of the Ohio General Assembly, the legislative body for the U.S. state of Ohio. There are 33 State Senators. The state legislature meets in the state capital, Columbus. The President of the Senate presides over the body when in session, and is currently Tom...
. With the Senate being overwhelmingly Republican, there was speculation that perhaps the state senate would not accept some of his nominees in favor of allowing Governor-elect
John KasichJohn Richard Kasich is the 69th and current Governor of Ohio. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing from 1983 to 2001...
to make nominations. On November 15, 2010, presumptive future Senate President
Tom NiehausTom Niehaus is a Republican member of the Ohio Senate, representing the 14th District since 2005. Previously he was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from 2000 until 2004. Niehaus succeeded Ohio Senate President Doug White, who was prevented by Ohio's term limits law from running for...
stated the approvals would depend upon the impact on policy.
Post-Gubernatorial Career
In 2011, after Strickland's immediate successor to office and former opponent,
John KasichJohn Richard Kasich is the 69th and current Governor of Ohio. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing from 1983 to 2001...
, signed into law Senate Bill 5, Former Governor Strickland took a leading role in gathering the signatures necessary under Ohio law to repeal Senate Bill 5 via public referendum. The signatures, amounting to 2,298,301 names, was delivered to the Kasich Administration on June 29th, 2011, far exceeding the required amount of signatures to put the law on the ballot. The signatures were also turned in one day before the ninety day deadline (According to Ohio law, the citizens of
OhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
have ninety days after a
billA bill is a proposed law under consideration by a legislature. A bill does not become law until it is passed by the legislature and, in most cases, approved by the executive. Once a bill has been enacted into law, it is called an act or a statute....
becomes
lawLaw is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
to gather enough signatures to put the law on a
ballotA ballot is a device used to record choices made by voters. Each voter uses one ballot, and ballots are not shared. In the simplest elections, a ballot may be a simple scrap of paper on which each voter writes in the name of a candidate, but governmental elections use pre-printed to protect the...
for a public vote). Senate Bill 5 became Issue 2 in the November elections and was defeated in rather decisive fashion.
Electoral history
{{For|the Colorado politician|Ted L. Strickland}}
Theodore "Ted" Strickland (born August 4, 1941) was the 68th Governor of Ohio, serving from 2007 to 2011. A member of the Democratic PartyThe Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, he previously served in the United States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, representing {{ushr|OH|6}} (1993-1995, 1997-2007).
In the 2006 gubernatorial electionThe Ohio gubernatorial election of 2006 was held on November 7, 2006, and was a race for the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Ohio. Incumbent Governor Bob Taft could not run for re-election, as Ohio governors are limited to two consecutive terms in office....
, Strickland was elected to succeed term-limited RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
incumbent Bob TaftRobert Alphonso "Bob" Taft II is an Ohio Republican Party politician. He was elected to two terms of office as the 67th Governor of the U.S. state of Ohio between 1999-2007. After leaving office, Taft started working for the University of Dayton beginning August 15, 2007.-Personal background:Taft...
after defeating Ohio Secretary of StateThe Secretary of State is responsible for overseeing elections in the State of Ohio. The Secretary of State also is responsible for registering business entities and granting them the authority to do business within the state, registering secured transactions, and granting access to public...
Ken BlackwellJohn Kenneth Blackwell is an American politician and activist who served as the mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio from 1979 to 1980 and Ohio Secretary of State from 1999 to 2007. A Republican, he was the first African-American to be the candidate for governor of a major party in Ohio. In 2006, Blackwell...
, receiving 60% of the vote. However, he was narrowly defeated for re-election in the 2010 gubernatorial electionThe 2010 Ohio gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 2010. Incumbent Governor Ted Strickland, a Democrat, was defeated by former Republican House Budget Chairman John Kasich.-Background:...
by former U.S. Representative John KasichJohn Richard Kasich is the 69th and current Governor of Ohio. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing from 1983 to 2001...
.
Strickland serves as a co-chair of the Health Project at the Bipartisan Policy CenterThe is a non-profit organization that "drives principled solutions through rigorous analysis, reasoned negotiation, and respectful dialogue." Founded in 2007 by former Senate Majority Leaders Howard Baker, Tom Daschle, Bob Dole, and George Mitchell, "BPC combines politically-balanced policymaking...
.
Early life
Born in LucasvilleLucasville is a census-designated place in Scioto County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,588 at the 2000 census. The village of Lucasville was laid out by Captain John Lucas in June 1819 and recorded August 7, 1819. Captain Lucas built the first tavern in the village and kept it until...
, OhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, Strickland was one of nine children; his father was a steelworker. A 1959 graduate of Northwest High SchoolNorthwest High School is a public high school in McDermott, Ohio in Scioto County in Southern Ohio. It is the only high school in the Northwest Local School District...
, Strickland went on to be the first member of his family to attend college. Strickland was awarded a Bachelor of ArtsA Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in historyHistory is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
with a minor in psychologyPsychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
from Asbury College in 1963. In 1966, he received a Master of ArtsA Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree in guidance counseling from the University of KentuckyThe University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
and a Master of DivinityIn the academic study of theology, the Master of Divinity is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America...
from the Asbury Theological SeminaryAsbury Theological Seminary is a multi-denominational, graduate institution that offers a variety of master degree and postgraduate degree programs through the schools of Biblical Interpretation and Proclamation, Theology and Formation, Practical Theology, World Missions and Evangelism, and...
in 1967. He then returned to the University of Kentucky to earn his Ph.DDoctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in counseling psychologyCounseling psychology is a psychological specialty that encompasses research and applied work in several broad domains: counseling process and outcome; supervision and training; career development and counseling; and prevention and health...
in 1980. He is married to Frances StricklandFrances Strickland is the former First Lady of Ohio and an educational psychologist.- Biography :Frances Strickland grew up on a dairy farm in Simpsonville, Kentucky Shelby County, Kentucky, graduated with a Bachelor's Degree from Murray State University, and was a health and physical education...
, an educational psychologistEducational psychology is the study of how humans learn in educational settings, the effectiveness of educational interventions, the psychology of teaching, and the social psychology of schools as organizations. Educational psychology is concerned with how students learn and develop, often focusing...
and author of a widely used screening test for kindergarten-age children.
Strickland worked as a counseling psychologist at the Southern Ohio Correctional FacilityThe Southern Ohio Correctional Facility is a maximum security prison in Lucasville, Ohio, United States. The prison was constructed in 1972 and currently contains the death house for Ohio where death row inmates are executed...
in Lucasville, OhioLucasville is a census-designated place in Scioto County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,588 at the 2000 census. The village of Lucasville was laid out by Captain John Lucas in June 1819 and recorded August 7, 1819. Captain Lucas built the first tavern in the village and kept it until...
He was an administrator at a Methodist children's home and was a professor of psychology at Shawnee State UniversityShawnee State University is a public university in southern Ohio. It is Ohio's newest state-supported university and lies on the north bank of the Ohio River in the city of Portsmouth in Scioto County.Shawnee State University was established in 1986...
. His only known pastoral position within a church was a very brief associate pastoral position at Wesley United Methodist Church located at the corner of Offnere and Gallia Streets, Portsmouth, OhioPortsmouth is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Scioto County. The municipality is located on the northern banks of the Ohio River and east of the Scioto River in Southern Ohio. The population was 20,226 at the 2010 census.-Foundation:...
(now Cornerstone United Methodist Church).
Election to Congress
Strickland ran for U.S. representative for Ohio's 6th congressional districtOhio's 6th congressional district is currently represented by Representative Bill Johnson . This district runs along the southeast side of the state, bordering Kentucky, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania...
in 1976, 1978, and 1980, losing twice to long-time incumbent William H. HarshaWilliam Howard "Bill" Harsha, Jr. was an American politician who represented Ohio as a Republican in the United States House of Representatives from January 3, 1961 to January 3, 1981.-Biography:...
and later to Harsha's successor and campaign manager, Bob McEwenRobert D. "Bob" McEwen is a lobbyist and American politician of the Republican Party, who was a member of the United States House of Representatives from southern Ohio's Sixth District, from January 3, 1981 to January 3, 1993...
.
Strickland ran again for the 6th District seat in 1992, once again facing Bob McEwen, who had suffered some political damage by being associated with the House banking scandalThe House banking scandal broke in early 1992, when it was revealed that the United States House of Representatives allowed members to overdraw their House checking accounts without risk of being penalized by the House bank ....
. The 6th District had been combined with the old 10th District when Ohio lost two seats in Congress following the 1990 census and now covered a huge area stretching from LebanonThe population at the 2010 census was 20,033. As of the census of 2000, there were 16,962 people residing in the city. The population density was 1,440.6 people per square mile . There were 6,218 housing units at an average density of 528.1 per square mile...
, in Warren CountyWarren County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. The population was 212,693 at the 2010 census. Its county seat is Lebanon. Warren County was erected May 1, 1803, from Hamilton County, and named for Dr...
, to MariettaMarietta is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Ohio, United States. During 1788, pioneers to the Ohio Country established Marietta as the first permanent American settlement of the new United States in the Northwest Territory. Marietta is located in southeastern Ohio at the mouth...
, in Washington CountyWashington County is a county located in the state of Ohio. As of the 2010 census, the population was 61,778. Its county seat is Marietta. The county, the oldest in the state, is named for George Washington. Washington County is included in the Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna, West Virginia-Ohio...
on the opposite side of the state. The district proved a difficult place to campaign, representing half a dozen different media markets and home to no large cities and few unifying influences.
Patrick J. Buchanan, Vice President Dan QuayleJames Danforth "Dan" Quayle served as the 44th Vice President of the United States, serving with President George H. W. Bush . He served as a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from the state of Indiana....
, and Oliver NorthOliver Laurence North is a retired U.S. Marine Corps officer, political commentator, host of War Stories with Oliver North on Fox News Channel, a military historian, and a New York Times best-selling author....
came to Ohio to campaign for McEwen, but Strickland narrowly won in the general election on November 3, 1992. He received 122,720 votes to McEwen's 119,252, a plurality of only 3,468 - just over 1.4%. Strickland said "I ran against Pat RobertsonMarion Gordon "Pat" Robertson is a media mogul, television evangelist, ex-Baptist minister and businessman who is politically aligned with the Christian Right in the United States....
, Pat BuchananPatrick Joseph "Pat" Buchanan is an American paleoconservative political commentator, author, syndicated columnist, politician and broadcaster. Buchanan was a senior adviser to American Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Ronald Reagan, and was an original host on CNN's Crossfire. He sought...
, the National Rifle AssociationThe National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
, and Right-to-Life. They threw everything at me. I'm just so happy I beat back those guys. I think they're so divisive." Strickland began serving in January 1993 (103rd Congress).
Congressional career
In 1994, the Republican wave swamped Strickland, who narrowly lost his seat to Republican Frank CremeansFrank A. Cremeans was an Ohio small-businessman who represented Ohio in the United States House of Representatives as a Republican. He served one term in Congress, from 1995 to 1997....
. In 1996, however, Strickland narrowly won his seat back, taking office in January 1997 (the 105th CongressThe One Hundred Fifth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1997 to January 3, 1999, during the fifth and...
). He faced a strong challenge from Lieutenant GovernorThe position of lieutenant governor of Ohio was established in 1852. The lieutenant governor becomes governor if the governor resigns, dies in office or is removed by impeachment. Before 1852, the president of the Ohio State Senate would serve as acting governor if a vacancy in the governorship...
Nancy HollisterNancy Putnam Hollister is a Republican politician from the U.S. state of Ohio. Hollister was the first, and to this date only, female Governor of Ohio. She attended Kent State University, and upon leaving college she became a housewife...
in 1998, but turned it back fairly easily. He wasn't seriously challenged again after this and was reelected three more times, and even ran unopposed in 2004. Strickland served on the Energy and Commerce CommitteeThe Committee on Energy and Commerce is one of the oldest standing committees of the United States House of Representatives. Established in 1795, it has operated continuously—with various name changes and jurisdictional changes—for more than 200 years...
and the Veterans' Affairs CommitteeThe standing Committee on Veterans' Affairs in the United States House of Representatives oversees agencies, reviews current legislation, and recommends new bills or amendments concerning veterans. Jurisdiction includes retiring and disability pensions, life insurance, education , vocational...
.
2006 Ohio gubernatorial campaign
{{Main|Ohio gubernatorial election, 2006}}
Strickland successfully ran for Governor of Ohio in 2006, when Governor Bob TaftRobert Alphonso "Bob" Taft II is an Ohio Republican Party politician. He was elected to two terms of office as the 67th Governor of the U.S. state of Ohio between 1999-2007. After leaving office, Taft started working for the University of Dayton beginning August 15, 2007.-Personal background:Taft...
was term-limited and could not run for re-election. Strickland selected former Ohio Attorney GeneralThe Ohio Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of Ohio in the United States. The office is filled by general election, held every four years. The Ohio Attorney General is Mike DeWine.-History:...
and 1998 Democratic nominee for governor Lee FisherLee Fisher was the 64th Lieutenant Governor of Ohio, who served with Governor Ted Strickland from 2007 until 2011.He is a member of the Democratic Party.In addition to serving as Lt...
as his running mate. He was sworn in as governor on January 8, 2007.
Strickland easily won the Democratic primary on May 2, 2006, winning 80 percent of the vote. In the November general electionIn a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
, he was challenged by RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Secretary of State Ken BlackwellJohn Kenneth Blackwell is an American politician and activist who served as the mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio from 1979 to 1980 and Ohio Secretary of State from 1999 to 2007. A Republican, he was the first African-American to be the candidate for governor of a major party in Ohio. In 2006, Blackwell...
, LibertarianThe Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
economist Bill PeirceWilliam S. "Bill" Peirce was the Libertarian Party of Ohio candidate for Ohio Governor in the November 7, 2006 election. On November 12, 2005, the party made its endorsement of Peirce official....
and GreenThe Green Party of the United States is a nationally recognized political party which officially formed in 1991. It is a voluntary association of state green parties. Prior to national formation, many state affiliates had already formed and were recognized by other state parties...
Bob FitrakisBob Fitrakis is a Professor of Political Science in the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department at Columbus State Community College, an attorney, reporter, Executive Director of the Columbus Institute for Contemporary Journalism/CICJ Books as well as the Editor of The Free Press .He has a Ph.D...
, but won handily on November 7, 2006, capturing 60% of the vote. Blackwell finished in a distant second with 37% of the vote.
He was endorsed by the Associated General Contractors of Ohio, Fraternal Order of PoliceThe Fraternal Order of Police is an organization of sworn law enforcement officers in the United States. It claims a membership of over 325,000 members organized in 2100 local chapters , organized into local lodges, state lodges, and the national Grand Lodge...
, National Association of Police Organizations, Cleveland Stonewall Democrats, Ohio Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, Ohio Trooper Coalition, Ohio Education Association, Ohio Federation of TeachersThe Ohio Federation of Teachers is a statewide federation of unions in Ohio, affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers , AFL-CIO....
, Ohio Association of Professional Fire Fighters, Ohio Legislative Black Caucus, National Rifle AssociationThe National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
, The Akron Beacon Journal, The Columbus DispatchThe Columbus Dispatch is a daily newspaper based in Columbus, Ohio. Its first issue was published on July 1, 1871, and has been the only mainstream daily newspaper in the city since The Columbus Citizen-Journal stopped printing in 1985....
, The Plain Dealer (Cleveland), Dayton Daily NewsThe Dayton Daily News is a daily newspaper published in Dayton, Ohio. It is owned by Cox Enterprises. In the 2010 Associated Press Society of Ohio newspaper competition that takes place every year, DaytonDailyNews.com was named "the best large-newspaper web site in Ohio".-History:On August 15,...
, The Toledo Blade, The Canton Repository, Mayor Mark L. MalloryMark Mallory is an American politician of the Democratic Party who is currently serving as the Mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio. His election marked a new era for City Hall as the first two-term Mayor under the City’s new Stronger-Mayor system, the first directly-elected black Mayor, and the first Mayor...
of CincinnatiCincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, Mayor Frank G. JacksonFrank George Jackson is an American attorney and politician. He is currently the Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio. He was elected on November 8, 2005, unseating incumbent Jane Campbell and re-elected in 2009...
of ClevelandCleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, Mayor Michael B. ColemanMichael B. Coleman is an American politician of the Democratic Party, the 52nd and current mayor of Columbus, Ohio. He is the first African-American mayor of Ohio's capital....
of ColumbusColumbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, Mayor Rhine McLinRhine Lana McLin is an American Democratic politician from Ohio. McLin received her Bachelor of Arts in sociology and secondary education from Parsons College and her Master of Education in guidance counseling from Xavier University...
of DaytonDayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
, Mayor Carty FinkbeinerCarleton "Carty" S. Finkbeiner is a Democratic Party politician who is the former mayor of Toledo, Ohio. First elected in 1993, he took office on January 1, 1994. In 1997, he defeated challenger Nick Wichowski to win a second term. Term limits prevented him from running a third consecutive time...
of ToledoToledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
, and Mayor Jay Williams Roy Kojo Jawara Williams is the executive director of the federal Office of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers, and the former mayor of Youngstown, Ohio. His election in 2005 gained local and regional media attention because it brought Youngstown its first African-American mayor as well...
of YoungstownYoungstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
.
Media strategy
Strickland began his media campaign for the general election in July by purchasing airtime on Christian radio stations throughout the state. The ad cited a verse from the Book of MicahThe Book of Micah is one of fifteen prophetic books in the Hebrew bible/Old Testament, and the sixth of the twelve minor prophets. It records the sayings of Mikayahu, meaning "Who is like Yahweh?", an 8th century prophet from the village of Moresheth in Judah...
, calling one "to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God." His televised ads began airing in late September 2006.
Republican support
Strickland's candidacy received some support from Republicans, indicated by many of the pollsters covering the race. Additionally, a number of high profile Republicans publicly announced their support for Strickland at a press conference on September 12, and Strickland's website launched "Republicans For Strickland," which lists over 340 registered Republican endorsers.
Economy
The Strickland administration was largely marred economically by the national Great Recession, which saw employment shrink during his term in the state by 236,000. Between December 2009 and August 2010, however, employment grew in the state by 57,000 positions. The unemployment percentage peaked at 11.0% in March 2010, but had dropped to 10.1% by August of that year. By the fall of 2010, the state had the sixth-fastest growing economy in the country.
Under Strickland the state won the Governor's Cup award from Site Selection Magazine, based on top states for economic development, for his first three years in office. By 2010, the state's business climate had improved from #38 in the nation and #7 in the Midwest when Strickland was elected to #11 in the nation and #1 in the Midwest according to the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council.
He continued to support many of the economic policies of the previous administration under Bob TaftRobert Alphonso "Bob" Taft II is an Ohio Republican Party politician. He was elected to two terms of office as the 67th Governor of the U.S. state of Ohio between 1999-2007. After leaving office, Taft started working for the University of Dayton beginning August 15, 2007.-Personal background:Taft...
, including H.B. 66, which eliminated the corporate franchise tax in 2010, the tangible personal property tax in 2009, and overall a 17% reduction in personal taxes since 2004. The state had improved to the #15 best personal tax environment by 2009. He supported the renewal of the Third FrontierThe Third Frontier Project is a type of economic development initiative by the State of Ohio to expand research and technology economic development in the state...
program in 2010, which won the International Economic Development CouncilThe International Economic Development Council, also known as the IEDC, is an organization for Economic developers. It has more than 4,000 members in North America and around the world, and is the largest organization of its kind in existence...
's Excellence in Economic Development Award later that year.
Strickland eliminated nearly 250 state business regulations and revised over 1800 to better accommodate growth. He expanded small business credits and proposed the "Build Your Own Business" program, which will facilitate $5,000 micro loans to participants. He passed a unanimous budget of $52 billion over the two fiscal years beginning July 2007 with line-item vetoes; this unanimous approval of the budget was the state's first in 84 years, and during his term he reduced the size of state government by 7%, or 5,000 employees.
In 2008, he signed the state's renewable portfolio standardA Renewable Portfolio Standard is a regulation that requires the increased production of energy from renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar, biomass, and geothermal...
, calling for 25% of the state's energy to be produced by renewables by 2025. By 2010, the state was ranked #2 in solar production and continued to be a top-five state for "green energy" production.
Education
He had made education a centerpiece of his administration, establishing the University System of OhioThe University System of Ohio is the public university system of the state of Ohio. Legally unified under Governor Ted Strickland in 2007, the University System of Ohio is governed by the Ohio Board of Regents....
in 2007 as a way to get more Ohioans access to a state-sponsored college, to graduate from in-state public universities, and thus stay in-state for quality jobs. The University System of Ohio is now the nation's largest comprehensive public system of higher education. Between 2009-2010, enrollment at four-year institutions increased by 8%, while enrollment at two-year institutions increased 23%.
Strickland presided over the largest total budget spending on primary education since 1980, including $4 billion for new and better school construction, 250 of which will be "green" schools. When he took office, only 491 of Ohio's 613 public school districts were rated effective or higher and #27 in the nation by Education WeekEducation Week is a United States national newspaper covering K-12 education. It is published by Editorial Projects in Education , a non-profit organization, which is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland...
. By 2010, 536 had reached the effective or higher mark and were ranked #5 by Education WeekEducation Week is a United States national newspaper covering K-12 education. It is published by Editorial Projects in Education , a non-profit organization, which is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland...
.
Veteran Affairs
In 2007, Strickland signed legislation exempting military veterans' retirement benefits from state taxation. He signed an executive order creating a council to oversee the eventual establishment of the Ohio Department of Veterans ServicesThe Ohio Department of Veterans Services is the organization of state government responsible for identifying, connecting with, and advocating for veterans and their families. ODVS is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio and is part of the executive branch of the Ohio state government...
as a cabinet-level agency. In 2008 he signed an executive order creating the Ohio G.I. Promise, the largest expansion of benefits for Ohio veterans since World War Two. He supported passage of the state ballot issue in 2009 authorizing military bonuses for veterans of the Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq wars.
Infrastructure
Strickland created the FAST TRAC initiative, which was aimed at accelerating major infrastructure projects. The first projects approved under the program included the Interstate 70 Additional Lanes, Interstate 71 Grove City Urban Interchange, Interstate 270 - Alum Creek Interchange, Interstate 275—Gilmore Road Interchange, and the Interstate 90 Avon Interchange. He also oversaw the creation 21st Century transportation task force, focused on rejuvenating Ohio's infrastructure. Go Ohio is an outgrowth of that initiative to guide the state's annual $2 billion infrastructure budget.
Healthcare
Strickland's healthcare reforms increased eligibility and expanded coverage for pregnant women, as well as expanding parent's coverage up to the age of 28 for their children. His reforms capped the insurance costs on pre-existing conditions and allowed employees of small businesses to use pre-tax earnings to purchase coverage, reducing the cost by 40% and expanding coverage to over 37,000 Ohioans.
Social issues
On the pre-collegiate level of education, Strickland pushed to cut funding of school vouchers, which critics claimed will have reduced education choice available to the public. He opposed federally subsidized abstinence-only sex educationSex education refers to formal programs of instruction on a wide range of issues relating to human sexuality, including human sexual anatomy, sexual reproduction, sexual intercourse, reproductive health, emotional relations, reproductive rights and responsibilities, abstinence, contraception, and...
programs.
On the issue of capital punishmentCapital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
, Strickland delayed three executions until further review and commuted five death sentences. Strickland chose not to commute three additional executions, including two that eventually occurred. The March 20, 2007 execution of Kenneth BirosKenneth Biros was an American convicted murderer who was sentenced to death and executed for the aggravated murder, attempted rape, aggravated robbery and felonious sexual penetration of a young woman...
, which Strickland did not commute, was later stayed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth CircuitThe United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* Eastern District of Kentucky* Western District of Kentucky...
in CincinnatiCincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
. Biros was eventually executed in December 2009.
Strickland voted against partial-birth abortion while in the U.S. House, but has said he would veto a near-total abortion ban proposed by Ohio State House member Tom BrinkmanThomas E. Brinkman, Jr. is a Republican former member of the Ohio House of Representatives from Cincinnati. He is known for his opposition to higher taxes and public spending, and has been nicknamed "Dr...
(R-Cincinnati) that does not include rape, incest or health exceptions.
He signed Ohio's Castle Doctrine legislation in 2008, restoring the presumption of innocence to homeowners acting in self-defense, and expanded state acreage allowed for game hunting.
Strickland held office when a constitutional amendment passed allowing casinos to be built in Cincinnati, Cleveland, ToledoToledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
and ColumbusColumbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
. Although originally opposed to the idea of allowing such types of gambling into the state, potential revenue shortfalls caused him to consider the option. More so, the implementation of video lottery terminals at Ohio racetracks also was considered as a revenue source, and Strickland said for about a year that he would ask the courts to weigh in on whether the executive branch has the authority to implement slots through the Ohio Lottery Commission.
Polling
In 2007, Strickland had a 61% approval, 15% disapproval according to Quinnipiac Polling. Strickland's approval ratings have steadily dropped from his highest point when he took office due primarily to the state's economy. By July 2008 Strickland's overall approval rating was down to 44%, with only 12% of Ohioans reporting he is doing a "good" job, and 52% reporting he is only doing a "fair" to "poor" job, with 17% stating Strickland's performance has been poor. (July 2008). The state's economic woes continue to drag down Strickland's administration with the state unemployment rate in June 2009 at 10.5%. A severe budget crisis and a decision by Strickland to delay tax cuts are other factors. By late May, 2010 Gov. Strickland's approval rating was at 55 percent, with 35 percent saying they disapprove of the way he is handling his job. However, by October 2010 his job approval had plummeted to 39%.
Controversies
Arguably the biggest setback to occur during his career as Governor was the loss of a computer backup tape that contained the names and Social Security numbers of 64,000 state employees and their families, and 225,000 other state taxpayers. Especially troubling was that a 22-year-old intern was entrusted to this tape and it was stolen out of his unlocked car; however, the administration has insisted that because of the technical nature of the coding it has not been accessed.
Helen Jones-KelleyHelen Jones-Kelley, was the Director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services , Ohio's largest agency, from 2007-2008. During her tenure, she received substantial media attention for various ODJFS related activities, and for her role in the Controversial Ohio database searches of Joe...
, Strickland’s Director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family ServicesThe Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, , a department that employs 4,000 full time employees, has an annual budget of more than $17 billion. ODJFS supervises the provision of Medicaid, food stamps, child welfare and child support in Ohio. Also, ODJFS provides services such as unemployment...
(ODJFS), became embroiled in the Controversial Ohio database searches of Joe Wurzelbacher during the last few weeks of the 2008 US Presidential election campaign. The Attorney General's office of Ohio conducted an investigation. On November 7, 2008, Strickland placed Jones-Kelley on paid leave “for possibly using a state computer and e-mailElectronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
account for political fundraising.” Strickland stated that this action was taken "due to the possibility, as yet unconfirmed, that a state computer or state e-mail account was used to assist in political fund raising." Strickland later released e-mails showing that Jones-Kelley "used her state-issued e-mail account to send names of potential contributors to the Obama campaign." On December 17, 2008, Jones-Kelley resigned from her position as director of ODJFS. Upon Jones-Kelley's resignation, Douglas E. LumpkinDouglas E. Lumpkin, an Ohio civil servant, was appointed as the director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services , Ohio's largest agency, and a member of the Ohio Governor's Cabinet, by Governor Ted Strickland on December 19, 2008...
was chosen by Governor Strickland to replace her as director of ODJFS.
In 2010, Strickland was embroiled in a scandal at the Governor's Mansion over a work-release program for inmates involved in a cigarette smuggling operation and alcohol consumption which he had no knowledge of. He ordered a review of the decades' old program.
2008 election
Due to his more conservative politics (for instance, he was voted an 'A' by the NRAThe National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
) and popularity in what is presumed to be a key swing state, Strickland was mentioned as a possible Democratic Vice PresidentialThe Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
nominee in the 2008 election. Nonetheless, Strickland repeatedly and vehemently denied"Sherman statement" or "Sherman speech" is American political jargon for a clear and direct statement by a potential candidate indicating that he or she will not run for a particular elected position....
that he would accept a position on the ticket if offered. Most speculation of his potential selection as Barack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's running mate died out by the summer of 2008.
Strickland spoke on the second night of the 2008 Democratic National Convention. Many commentators, including former ReaganThe United States presidency of Ronald Reagan, also known as the Reagan administration, was a Republican administration headed by Ronald Reagan from January 20, 1981, to January 20, 1989....
speechwriter Peggy NoonanPeggy Noonan is an American author of seven books on politics, religion, and culture and a weekly columnist for The Wall Street Journal...
, credited Strickland with delivering the best line of the convention: "You know, it was once said of the first George Bush that he was born on third base and thought he'd hit a triple. Well, with the 22 million new jobs and the budget surplus Bill Clinton left behind, George W. Bush came into office on third base and then he stole second. And John McCain cheered him every step of the way."
2010 gubernatorial campaign
{{Main|Ohio gubernatorial election, 2010}}
Strickland sought reelection as governor in 2010. On January 19, 2010, he chose Yvette McGee BrownYvette McGee Brown became the first African-American female justice on the Ohio Supreme Court when she took office on January 1, 2011...
, a former juvenile court judge from central Ohio, as his running mate, running against John Kasich's running mate Ohio State AuditorThe Ohio State Auditor is responsible for auditing all the public offices of the state of Ohio. The auditor is elected to a four-year term. The current Auditor is Dave Yost....
Mary TaylorMary Taylor is the 65th and current Lieutenant Governor of Ohio.-Early life and business career:Taylor was born in 1961. She attended the Springfield Township school system. She attended the University of Akron, obtaining a Bachelor degree in Accounting and Master's degree in Taxation...
. John Kasich's ties to Lehman BrothersLehman Brothers Holdings Inc. was a global financial services firm. Before declaring bankruptcy in 2008, Lehman was the fourth largest investment bank in the USA , doing business in investment banking, equity and fixed-income sales and trading Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (former NYSE ticker...
played a role in the campaign. Strickland's running mate, Yvette McGee Brown, attempted to capitalize on Governor Strickland taking Ohio schools from somewhere outside the Top 25 best schools in the nation to number 5 in the nation, according to the news media. John Kasich accused Governor Strickland of raising taxes, while Governor Strickland declared the accusation is untrue. Governor Strickland and Yvette McGee Brown both spoke at President Barack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's rally in Columbus, OhioColumbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
shortly before the midterm elections, appearing with singer John LegendJohn Roger Stephens , better known by his stage name John Legend, is an American singer, musician, and actor. He is the recipient of nine Grammy Awards, and in 2007, he received the special Starlight award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.Prior to the release of his debut album, Stephens' career...
, Strickland's lieutenant governor and U.S. Senate candidate Lee FisherLee Fisher was the 64th Lieutenant Governor of Ohio, who served with Governor Ted Strickland from 2007 until 2011.He is a member of the Democratic Party.In addition to serving as Lt...
, and former astronaut and U.S. Senator from OhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
John GlennJohn Herschel Glenn, Jr. is a former United States Marine Corps pilot, astronaut, and United States senator who was the first American to orbit the Earth and the third American in space. Glenn was a Marine Corps fighter pilot before joining NASA's Mercury program as a member of NASA's original...
. The rally drew thousands of attendees, and parts of President Obama's speech were featured on MSNBCMSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
. The awaited results from Cuyahoga County for the gubernatorial election decided the winner of the governorship on November 2, 2010; Strickland was defeated by RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
John KasichJohn Richard Kasich is the 69th and current Governor of Ohio. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing from 1983 to 2001...
, and thus Yvette McGee Brown also lost that night, to Mary Taylor. In Strickland's concession speech, he mentioned he'd called Governor-elect John Kasich to ask if there was anything he could do to make the transition of power easier. Yvette McGee Brown, defeated Attorney General of Ohio Richard CordrayRichard Cordray is an American politician of the Democratic Party who last served as the Attorney General of Ohio. He has been chosen to run the enforcement division of the United States Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which officially began operating in July 2011...
, and others appeared onstage with Strickland as he delivered his concession.
Lame duck nominations
Despite being denied a second term as Governor, Strickland still was entitled to nominate individuals for specific state appointments, which are required to be approved by the Ohio SenateThe Ohio State Senate is the upper house of the Ohio General Assembly, the legislative body for the U.S. state of Ohio. There are 33 State Senators. The state legislature meets in the state capital, Columbus. The President of the Senate presides over the body when in session, and is currently Tom...
. With the Senate being overwhelmingly Republican, there was speculation that perhaps the state senate would not accept some of his nominees in favor of allowing Governor-elect John KasichJohn Richard Kasich is the 69th and current Governor of Ohio. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing from 1983 to 2001...
to make nominations. On November 15, 2010, presumptive future Senate President Tom NiehausTom Niehaus is a Republican member of the Ohio Senate, representing the 14th District since 2005. Previously he was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from 2000 until 2004. Niehaus succeeded Ohio Senate President Doug White, who was prevented by Ohio's term limits law from running for...
stated the approvals would depend upon the impact on policy.
Post-Gubernatorial Career
In 2011, after Strickland's immediate successor to office and former opponent, John KasichJohn Richard Kasich is the 69th and current Governor of Ohio. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing from 1983 to 2001...
, signed into law Senate Bill 5, Former Governor Strickland took a leading role in gathering the signatures necessary under Ohio law to repeal Senate Bill 5 via public referendum. The signatures, amounting to 2,298,301 names, was delivered to the Kasich Administration on June 29th, 2011, far exceeding the required amount of signatures to put the law on the ballot. The signatures were also turned in one day before the ninety day deadline (According to Ohio law, the citizens of OhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
have ninety days after a billA bill is a proposed law under consideration by a legislature. A bill does not become law until it is passed by the legislature and, in most cases, approved by the executive. Once a bill has been enacted into law, it is called an act or a statute....
becomes lawLaw is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
to gather enough signatures to put the law on a ballotA ballot is a device used to record choices made by voters. Each voter uses one ballot, and ballots are not shared. In the simplest elections, a ballot may be a simple scrap of paper on which each voter writes in the name of a candidate, but governmental elections use pre-printed to protect the...
for a public vote). Senate Bill 5 became Issue 2 in the November elections and was defeated in rather decisive fashion.
Electoral history
{{For|the Colorado politician|Ted L. Strickland}}
Theodore "Ted" Strickland (born August 4, 1941) was the 68th Governor of Ohio, serving from 2007 to 2011. A member of the Democratic PartyThe Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, he previously served in the United States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, representing {{ushr|OH|6}} (1993-1995, 1997-2007).
In the 2006 gubernatorial electionThe Ohio gubernatorial election of 2006 was held on November 7, 2006, and was a race for the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Ohio. Incumbent Governor Bob Taft could not run for re-election, as Ohio governors are limited to two consecutive terms in office....
, Strickland was elected to succeed term-limited RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
incumbent Bob TaftRobert Alphonso "Bob" Taft II is an Ohio Republican Party politician. He was elected to two terms of office as the 67th Governor of the U.S. state of Ohio between 1999-2007. After leaving office, Taft started working for the University of Dayton beginning August 15, 2007.-Personal background:Taft...
after defeating Ohio Secretary of StateThe Secretary of State is responsible for overseeing elections in the State of Ohio. The Secretary of State also is responsible for registering business entities and granting them the authority to do business within the state, registering secured transactions, and granting access to public...
Ken BlackwellJohn Kenneth Blackwell is an American politician and activist who served as the mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio from 1979 to 1980 and Ohio Secretary of State from 1999 to 2007. A Republican, he was the first African-American to be the candidate for governor of a major party in Ohio. In 2006, Blackwell...
, receiving 60% of the vote. However, he was narrowly defeated for re-election in the 2010 gubernatorial electionThe 2010 Ohio gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 2010. Incumbent Governor Ted Strickland, a Democrat, was defeated by former Republican House Budget Chairman John Kasich.-Background:...
by former U.S. Representative John KasichJohn Richard Kasich is the 69th and current Governor of Ohio. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing from 1983 to 2001...
.
Strickland serves as a co-chair of the Health Project at the Bipartisan Policy CenterThe is a non-profit organization that "drives principled solutions through rigorous analysis, reasoned negotiation, and respectful dialogue." Founded in 2007 by former Senate Majority Leaders Howard Baker, Tom Daschle, Bob Dole, and George Mitchell, "BPC combines politically-balanced policymaking...
.
Early life
Born in LucasvilleLucasville is a census-designated place in Scioto County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,588 at the 2000 census. The village of Lucasville was laid out by Captain John Lucas in June 1819 and recorded August 7, 1819. Captain Lucas built the first tavern in the village and kept it until...
, OhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, Strickland was one of nine children; his father was a steelworker. A 1959 graduate of Northwest High SchoolNorthwest High School is a public high school in McDermott, Ohio in Scioto County in Southern Ohio. It is the only high school in the Northwest Local School District...
, Strickland went on to be the first member of his family to attend college. Strickland was awarded a Bachelor of ArtsA Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in historyHistory is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
with a minor in psychologyPsychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
from Asbury College in 1963. In 1966, he received a Master of ArtsA Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree in guidance counseling from the University of KentuckyThe University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
and a Master of DivinityIn the academic study of theology, the Master of Divinity is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America...
from the Asbury Theological SeminaryAsbury Theological Seminary is a multi-denominational, graduate institution that offers a variety of master degree and postgraduate degree programs through the schools of Biblical Interpretation and Proclamation, Theology and Formation, Practical Theology, World Missions and Evangelism, and...
in 1967. He then returned to the University of Kentucky to earn his Ph.DDoctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in counseling psychologyCounseling psychology is a psychological specialty that encompasses research and applied work in several broad domains: counseling process and outcome; supervision and training; career development and counseling; and prevention and health...
in 1980. He is married to Frances StricklandFrances Strickland is the former First Lady of Ohio and an educational psychologist.- Biography :Frances Strickland grew up on a dairy farm in Simpsonville, Kentucky Shelby County, Kentucky, graduated with a Bachelor's Degree from Murray State University, and was a health and physical education...
, an educational psychologistEducational psychology is the study of how humans learn in educational settings, the effectiveness of educational interventions, the psychology of teaching, and the social psychology of schools as organizations. Educational psychology is concerned with how students learn and develop, often focusing...
and author of a widely used screening test for kindergarten-age children.
Strickland worked as a counseling psychologist at the Southern Ohio Correctional FacilityThe Southern Ohio Correctional Facility is a maximum security prison in Lucasville, Ohio, United States. The prison was constructed in 1972 and currently contains the death house for Ohio where death row inmates are executed...
in Lucasville, OhioLucasville is a census-designated place in Scioto County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,588 at the 2000 census. The village of Lucasville was laid out by Captain John Lucas in June 1819 and recorded August 7, 1819. Captain Lucas built the first tavern in the village and kept it until...
He was an administrator at a Methodist children's home and was a professor of psychology at Shawnee State UniversityShawnee State University is a public university in southern Ohio. It is Ohio's newest state-supported university and lies on the north bank of the Ohio River in the city of Portsmouth in Scioto County.Shawnee State University was established in 1986...
. His only known pastoral position within a church was a very brief associate pastoral position at Wesley United Methodist Church located at the corner of Offnere and Gallia Streets, Portsmouth, OhioPortsmouth is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Scioto County. The municipality is located on the northern banks of the Ohio River and east of the Scioto River in Southern Ohio. The population was 20,226 at the 2010 census.-Foundation:...
(now Cornerstone United Methodist Church).
Election to Congress
Strickland ran for U.S. representative for Ohio's 6th congressional districtOhio's 6th congressional district is currently represented by Representative Bill Johnson . This district runs along the southeast side of the state, bordering Kentucky, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania...
in 1976, 1978, and 1980, losing twice to long-time incumbent William H. HarshaWilliam Howard "Bill" Harsha, Jr. was an American politician who represented Ohio as a Republican in the United States House of Representatives from January 3, 1961 to January 3, 1981.-Biography:...
and later to Harsha's successor and campaign manager, Bob McEwenRobert D. "Bob" McEwen is a lobbyist and American politician of the Republican Party, who was a member of the United States House of Representatives from southern Ohio's Sixth District, from January 3, 1981 to January 3, 1993...
.
Strickland ran again for the 6th District seat in 1992, once again facing Bob McEwen, who had suffered some political damage by being associated with the House banking scandalThe House banking scandal broke in early 1992, when it was revealed that the United States House of Representatives allowed members to overdraw their House checking accounts without risk of being penalized by the House bank ....
. The 6th District had been combined with the old 10th District when Ohio lost two seats in Congress following the 1990 census and now covered a huge area stretching from LebanonThe population at the 2010 census was 20,033. As of the census of 2000, there were 16,962 people residing in the city. The population density was 1,440.6 people per square mile . There were 6,218 housing units at an average density of 528.1 per square mile...
, in Warren CountyWarren County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. The population was 212,693 at the 2010 census. Its county seat is Lebanon. Warren County was erected May 1, 1803, from Hamilton County, and named for Dr...
, to MariettaMarietta is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Ohio, United States. During 1788, pioneers to the Ohio Country established Marietta as the first permanent American settlement of the new United States in the Northwest Territory. Marietta is located in southeastern Ohio at the mouth...
, in Washington CountyWashington County is a county located in the state of Ohio. As of the 2010 census, the population was 61,778. Its county seat is Marietta. The county, the oldest in the state, is named for George Washington. Washington County is included in the Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna, West Virginia-Ohio...
on the opposite side of the state. The district proved a difficult place to campaign, representing half a dozen different media markets and home to no large cities and few unifying influences.
Patrick J. Buchanan, Vice President Dan QuayleJames Danforth "Dan" Quayle served as the 44th Vice President of the United States, serving with President George H. W. Bush . He served as a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from the state of Indiana....
, and Oliver NorthOliver Laurence North is a retired U.S. Marine Corps officer, political commentator, host of War Stories with Oliver North on Fox News Channel, a military historian, and a New York Times best-selling author....
came to Ohio to campaign for McEwen, but Strickland narrowly won in the general election on November 3, 1992. He received 122,720 votes to McEwen's 119,252, a plurality of only 3,468 - just over 1.4%. Strickland said "I ran against Pat RobertsonMarion Gordon "Pat" Robertson is a media mogul, television evangelist, ex-Baptist minister and businessman who is politically aligned with the Christian Right in the United States....
, Pat BuchananPatrick Joseph "Pat" Buchanan is an American paleoconservative political commentator, author, syndicated columnist, politician and broadcaster. Buchanan was a senior adviser to American Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Ronald Reagan, and was an original host on CNN's Crossfire. He sought...
, the National Rifle AssociationThe National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
, and Right-to-Life. They threw everything at me. I'm just so happy I beat back those guys. I think they're so divisive." Strickland began serving in January 1993 (103rd Congress).
Congressional career
In 1994, the Republican wave swamped Strickland, who narrowly lost his seat to Republican Frank CremeansFrank A. Cremeans was an Ohio small-businessman who represented Ohio in the United States House of Representatives as a Republican. He served one term in Congress, from 1995 to 1997....
. In 1996, however, Strickland narrowly won his seat back, taking office in January 1997 (the 105th CongressThe One Hundred Fifth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1997 to January 3, 1999, during the fifth and...
). He faced a strong challenge from Lieutenant GovernorThe position of lieutenant governor of Ohio was established in 1852. The lieutenant governor becomes governor if the governor resigns, dies in office or is removed by impeachment. Before 1852, the president of the Ohio State Senate would serve as acting governor if a vacancy in the governorship...
Nancy HollisterNancy Putnam Hollister is a Republican politician from the U.S. state of Ohio. Hollister was the first, and to this date only, female Governor of Ohio. She attended Kent State University, and upon leaving college she became a housewife...
in 1998, but turned it back fairly easily. He wasn't seriously challenged again after this and was reelected three more times, and even ran unopposed in 2004. Strickland served on the Energy and Commerce CommitteeThe Committee on Energy and Commerce is one of the oldest standing committees of the United States House of Representatives. Established in 1795, it has operated continuously—with various name changes and jurisdictional changes—for more than 200 years...
and the Veterans' Affairs CommitteeThe standing Committee on Veterans' Affairs in the United States House of Representatives oversees agencies, reviews current legislation, and recommends new bills or amendments concerning veterans. Jurisdiction includes retiring and disability pensions, life insurance, education , vocational...
.
2006 Ohio gubernatorial campaign
{{Main|Ohio gubernatorial election, 2006}}
Strickland successfully ran for Governor of Ohio in 2006, when Governor Bob TaftRobert Alphonso "Bob" Taft II is an Ohio Republican Party politician. He was elected to two terms of office as the 67th Governor of the U.S. state of Ohio between 1999-2007. After leaving office, Taft started working for the University of Dayton beginning August 15, 2007.-Personal background:Taft...
was term-limited and could not run for re-election. Strickland selected former Ohio Attorney GeneralThe Ohio Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of Ohio in the United States. The office is filled by general election, held every four years. The Ohio Attorney General is Mike DeWine.-History:...
and 1998 Democratic nominee for governor Lee FisherLee Fisher was the 64th Lieutenant Governor of Ohio, who served with Governor Ted Strickland from 2007 until 2011.He is a member of the Democratic Party.In addition to serving as Lt...
as his running mate. He was sworn in as governor on January 8, 2007.
Strickland easily won the Democratic primary on May 2, 2006, winning 80 percent of the vote. In the November general electionIn a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
, he was challenged by RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Secretary of State Ken BlackwellJohn Kenneth Blackwell is an American politician and activist who served as the mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio from 1979 to 1980 and Ohio Secretary of State from 1999 to 2007. A Republican, he was the first African-American to be the candidate for governor of a major party in Ohio. In 2006, Blackwell...
, LibertarianThe Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
economist Bill PeirceWilliam S. "Bill" Peirce was the Libertarian Party of Ohio candidate for Ohio Governor in the November 7, 2006 election. On November 12, 2005, the party made its endorsement of Peirce official....
and GreenThe Green Party of the United States is a nationally recognized political party which officially formed in 1991. It is a voluntary association of state green parties. Prior to national formation, many state affiliates had already formed and were recognized by other state parties...
Bob FitrakisBob Fitrakis is a Professor of Political Science in the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department at Columbus State Community College, an attorney, reporter, Executive Director of the Columbus Institute for Contemporary Journalism/CICJ Books as well as the Editor of The Free Press .He has a Ph.D...
, but won handily on November 7, 2006, capturing 60% of the vote. Blackwell finished in a distant second with 37% of the vote.
He was endorsed by the Associated General Contractors of Ohio, Fraternal Order of PoliceThe Fraternal Order of Police is an organization of sworn law enforcement officers in the United States. It claims a membership of over 325,000 members organized in 2100 local chapters , organized into local lodges, state lodges, and the national Grand Lodge...
, National Association of Police Organizations, Cleveland Stonewall Democrats, Ohio Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, Ohio Trooper Coalition, Ohio Education Association, Ohio Federation of TeachersThe Ohio Federation of Teachers is a statewide federation of unions in Ohio, affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers , AFL-CIO....
, Ohio Association of Professional Fire Fighters, Ohio Legislative Black Caucus, National Rifle AssociationThe National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
, The Akron Beacon Journal, The Columbus DispatchThe Columbus Dispatch is a daily newspaper based in Columbus, Ohio. Its first issue was published on July 1, 1871, and has been the only mainstream daily newspaper in the city since The Columbus Citizen-Journal stopped printing in 1985....
, The Plain Dealer (Cleveland), Dayton Daily NewsThe Dayton Daily News is a daily newspaper published in Dayton, Ohio. It is owned by Cox Enterprises. In the 2010 Associated Press Society of Ohio newspaper competition that takes place every year, DaytonDailyNews.com was named "the best large-newspaper web site in Ohio".-History:On August 15,...
, The Toledo Blade, The Canton Repository, Mayor Mark L. MalloryMark Mallory is an American politician of the Democratic Party who is currently serving as the Mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio. His election marked a new era for City Hall as the first two-term Mayor under the City’s new Stronger-Mayor system, the first directly-elected black Mayor, and the first Mayor...
of CincinnatiCincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, Mayor Frank G. JacksonFrank George Jackson is an American attorney and politician. He is currently the Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio. He was elected on November 8, 2005, unseating incumbent Jane Campbell and re-elected in 2009...
of ClevelandCleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, Mayor Michael B. ColemanMichael B. Coleman is an American politician of the Democratic Party, the 52nd and current mayor of Columbus, Ohio. He is the first African-American mayor of Ohio's capital....
of ColumbusColumbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, Mayor Rhine McLinRhine Lana McLin is an American Democratic politician from Ohio. McLin received her Bachelor of Arts in sociology and secondary education from Parsons College and her Master of Education in guidance counseling from Xavier University...
of DaytonDayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
, Mayor Carty FinkbeinerCarleton "Carty" S. Finkbeiner is a Democratic Party politician who is the former mayor of Toledo, Ohio. First elected in 1993, he took office on January 1, 1994. In 1997, he defeated challenger Nick Wichowski to win a second term. Term limits prevented him from running a third consecutive time...
of ToledoToledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
, and Mayor Jay Williams Roy Kojo Jawara Williams is the executive director of the federal Office of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers, and the former mayor of Youngstown, Ohio. His election in 2005 gained local and regional media attention because it brought Youngstown its first African-American mayor as well...
of YoungstownYoungstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
.
Media strategy
Strickland began his media campaign for the general election in July by purchasing airtime on Christian radio stations throughout the state. The ad cited a verse from the Book of MicahThe Book of Micah is one of fifteen prophetic books in the Hebrew bible/Old Testament, and the sixth of the twelve minor prophets. It records the sayings of Mikayahu, meaning "Who is like Yahweh?", an 8th century prophet from the village of Moresheth in Judah...
, calling one "to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God." His televised ads began airing in late September 2006.
Republican support
Strickland's candidacy received some support from Republicans, indicated by many of the pollsters covering the race. Additionally, a number of high profile Republicans publicly announced their support for Strickland at a press conference on September 12, and Strickland's website launched "Republicans For Strickland," which lists over 340 registered Republican endorsers.
Economy
The Strickland administration was largely marred economically by the national Great Recession, which saw employment shrink during his term in the state by 236,000. Between December 2009 and August 2010, however, employment grew in the state by 57,000 positions. The unemployment percentage peaked at 11.0% in March 2010, but had dropped to 10.1% by August of that year. By the fall of 2010, the state had the sixth-fastest growing economy in the country.
Under Strickland the state won the Governor's Cup award from Site Selection Magazine, based on top states for economic development, for his first three years in office. By 2010, the state's business climate had improved from #38 in the nation and #7 in the Midwest when Strickland was elected to #11 in the nation and #1 in the Midwest according to the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council.
He continued to support many of the economic policies of the previous administration under Bob TaftRobert Alphonso "Bob" Taft II is an Ohio Republican Party politician. He was elected to two terms of office as the 67th Governor of the U.S. state of Ohio between 1999-2007. After leaving office, Taft started working for the University of Dayton beginning August 15, 2007.-Personal background:Taft...
, including H.B. 66, which eliminated the corporate franchise tax in 2010, the tangible personal property tax in 2009, and overall a 17% reduction in personal taxes since 2004. The state had improved to the #15 best personal tax environment by 2009. He supported the renewal of the Third FrontierThe Third Frontier Project is a type of economic development initiative by the State of Ohio to expand research and technology economic development in the state...
program in 2010, which won the International Economic Development CouncilThe International Economic Development Council, also known as the IEDC, is an organization for Economic developers. It has more than 4,000 members in North America and around the world, and is the largest organization of its kind in existence...
's Excellence in Economic Development Award later that year.
Strickland eliminated nearly 250 state business regulations and revised over 1800 to better accommodate growth. He expanded small business credits and proposed the "Build Your Own Business" program, which will facilitate $5,000 micro loans to participants. He passed a unanimous budget of $52 billion over the two fiscal years beginning July 2007 with line-item vetoes; this unanimous approval of the budget was the state's first in 84 years, and during his term he reduced the size of state government by 7%, or 5,000 employees.
In 2008, he signed the state's renewable portfolio standardA Renewable Portfolio Standard is a regulation that requires the increased production of energy from renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar, biomass, and geothermal...
, calling for 25% of the state's energy to be produced by renewables by 2025. By 2010, the state was ranked #2 in solar production and continued to be a top-five state for "green energy" production.
Education
He had made education a centerpiece of his administration, establishing the University System of OhioThe University System of Ohio is the public university system of the state of Ohio. Legally unified under Governor Ted Strickland in 2007, the University System of Ohio is governed by the Ohio Board of Regents....
in 2007 as a way to get more Ohioans access to a state-sponsored college, to graduate from in-state public universities, and thus stay in-state for quality jobs. The University System of Ohio is now the nation's largest comprehensive public system of higher education. Between 2009-2010, enrollment at four-year institutions increased by 8%, while enrollment at two-year institutions increased 23%.
Strickland presided over the largest total budget spending on primary education since 1980, including $4 billion for new and better school construction, 250 of which will be "green" schools. When he took office, only 491 of Ohio's 613 public school districts were rated effective or higher and #27 in the nation by Education WeekEducation Week is a United States national newspaper covering K-12 education. It is published by Editorial Projects in Education , a non-profit organization, which is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland...
. By 2010, 536 had reached the effective or higher mark and were ranked #5 by Education WeekEducation Week is a United States national newspaper covering K-12 education. It is published by Editorial Projects in Education , a non-profit organization, which is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland...
.
Veteran Affairs
In 2007, Strickland signed legislation exempting military veterans' retirement benefits from state taxation. He signed an executive order creating a council to oversee the eventual establishment of the Ohio Department of Veterans ServicesThe Ohio Department of Veterans Services is the organization of state government responsible for identifying, connecting with, and advocating for veterans and their families. ODVS is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio and is part of the executive branch of the Ohio state government...
as a cabinet-level agency. In 2008 he signed an executive order creating the Ohio G.I. Promise, the largest expansion of benefits for Ohio veterans since World War Two. He supported passage of the state ballot issue in 2009 authorizing military bonuses for veterans of the Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq wars.
Infrastructure
Strickland created the FAST TRAC initiative, which was aimed at accelerating major infrastructure projects. The first projects approved under the program included the Interstate 70 Additional Lanes, Interstate 71 Grove City Urban Interchange, Interstate 270 - Alum Creek Interchange, Interstate 275—Gilmore Road Interchange, and the Interstate 90 Avon Interchange. He also oversaw the creation 21st Century transportation task force, focused on rejuvenating Ohio's infrastructure. Go Ohio is an outgrowth of that initiative to guide the state's annual $2 billion infrastructure budget.
Healthcare
Strickland's healthcare reforms increased eligibility and expanded coverage for pregnant women, as well as expanding parent's coverage up to the age of 28 for their children. His reforms capped the insurance costs on pre-existing conditions and allowed employees of small businesses to use pre-tax earnings to purchase coverage, reducing the cost by 40% and expanding coverage to over 37,000 Ohioans.
Social issues
On the pre-collegiate level of education, Strickland pushed to cut funding of school vouchers, which critics claimed will have reduced education choice available to the public. He opposed federally subsidized abstinence-only sex educationSex education refers to formal programs of instruction on a wide range of issues relating to human sexuality, including human sexual anatomy, sexual reproduction, sexual intercourse, reproductive health, emotional relations, reproductive rights and responsibilities, abstinence, contraception, and...
programs.
On the issue of capital punishmentCapital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
, Strickland delayed three executions until further review and commuted five death sentences. Strickland chose not to commute three additional executions, including two that eventually occurred. The March 20, 2007 execution of Kenneth BirosKenneth Biros was an American convicted murderer who was sentenced to death and executed for the aggravated murder, attempted rape, aggravated robbery and felonious sexual penetration of a young woman...
, which Strickland did not commute, was later stayed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth CircuitThe United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* Eastern District of Kentucky* Western District of Kentucky...
in CincinnatiCincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
. Biros was eventually executed in December 2009.
Strickland voted against partial-birth abortion while in the U.S. House, but has said he would veto a near-total abortion ban proposed by Ohio State House member Tom BrinkmanThomas E. Brinkman, Jr. is a Republican former member of the Ohio House of Representatives from Cincinnati. He is known for his opposition to higher taxes and public spending, and has been nicknamed "Dr...
(R-Cincinnati) that does not include rape, incest or health exceptions.
He signed Ohio's Castle Doctrine legislation in 2008, restoring the presumption of innocence to homeowners acting in self-defense, and expanded state acreage allowed for game hunting.
Strickland held office when a constitutional amendment passed allowing casinos to be built in Cincinnati, Cleveland, ToledoToledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
and ColumbusColumbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
. Although originally opposed to the idea of allowing such types of gambling into the state, potential revenue shortfalls caused him to consider the option. More so, the implementation of video lottery terminals at Ohio racetracks also was considered as a revenue source, and Strickland said for about a year that he would ask the courts to weigh in on whether the executive branch has the authority to implement slots through the Ohio Lottery Commission.
Polling
In 2007, Strickland had a 61% approval, 15% disapproval according to Quinnipiac Polling. Strickland's approval ratings have steadily dropped from his highest point when he took office due primarily to the state's economy. By July 2008 Strickland's overall approval rating was down to 44%, with only 12% of Ohioans reporting he is doing a "good" job, and 52% reporting he is only doing a "fair" to "poor" job, with 17% stating Strickland's performance has been poor. (July 2008). The state's economic woes continue to drag down Strickland's administration with the state unemployment rate in June 2009 at 10.5%. A severe budget crisis and a decision by Strickland to delay tax cuts are other factors. By late May, 2010 Gov. Strickland's approval rating was at 55 percent, with 35 percent saying they disapprove of the way he is handling his job. However, by October 2010 his job approval had plummeted to 39%.
Controversies
Arguably the biggest setback to occur during his career as Governor was the loss of a computer backup tape that contained the names and Social Security numbers of 64,000 state employees and their families, and 225,000 other state taxpayers. Especially troubling was that a 22-year-old intern was entrusted to this tape and it was stolen out of his unlocked car; however, the administration has insisted that because of the technical nature of the coding it has not been accessed.
Helen Jones-KelleyHelen Jones-Kelley, was the Director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services , Ohio's largest agency, from 2007-2008. During her tenure, she received substantial media attention for various ODJFS related activities, and for her role in the Controversial Ohio database searches of Joe...
, Strickland’s Director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family ServicesThe Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, , a department that employs 4,000 full time employees, has an annual budget of more than $17 billion. ODJFS supervises the provision of Medicaid, food stamps, child welfare and child support in Ohio. Also, ODJFS provides services such as unemployment...
(ODJFS), became embroiled in the Controversial Ohio database searches of Joe Wurzelbacher during the last few weeks of the 2008 US Presidential election campaign. The Attorney General's office of Ohio conducted an investigation. On November 7, 2008, Strickland placed Jones-Kelley on paid leave “for possibly using a state computer and e-mailElectronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
account for political fundraising.” Strickland stated that this action was taken "due to the possibility, as yet unconfirmed, that a state computer or state e-mail account was used to assist in political fund raising." Strickland later released e-mails showing that Jones-Kelley "used her state-issued e-mail account to send names of potential contributors to the Obama campaign." On December 17, 2008, Jones-Kelley resigned from her position as director of ODJFS. Upon Jones-Kelley's resignation, Douglas E. LumpkinDouglas E. Lumpkin, an Ohio civil servant, was appointed as the director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services , Ohio's largest agency, and a member of the Ohio Governor's Cabinet, by Governor Ted Strickland on December 19, 2008...
was chosen by Governor Strickland to replace her as director of ODJFS.
In 2010, Strickland was embroiled in a scandal at the Governor's Mansion over a work-release program for inmates involved in a cigarette smuggling operation and alcohol consumption which he had no knowledge of. He ordered a review of the decades' old program.
2008 election
Due to his more conservative politics (for instance, he was voted an 'A' by the NRAThe National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
) and popularity in what is presumed to be a key swing state, Strickland was mentioned as a possible Democratic Vice PresidentialThe Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
nominee in the 2008 election. Nonetheless, Strickland repeatedly and vehemently denied"Sherman statement" or "Sherman speech" is American political jargon for a clear and direct statement by a potential candidate indicating that he or she will not run for a particular elected position....
that he would accept a position on the ticket if offered. Most speculation of his potential selection as Barack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's running mate died out by the summer of 2008.
Strickland spoke on the second night of the 2008 Democratic National Convention. Many commentators, including former ReaganThe United States presidency of Ronald Reagan, also known as the Reagan administration, was a Republican administration headed by Ronald Reagan from January 20, 1981, to January 20, 1989....
speechwriter Peggy NoonanPeggy Noonan is an American author of seven books on politics, religion, and culture and a weekly columnist for The Wall Street Journal...
, credited Strickland with delivering the best line of the convention: "You know, it was once said of the first George Bush that he was born on third base and thought he'd hit a triple. Well, with the 22 million new jobs and the budget surplus Bill Clinton left behind, George W. Bush came into office on third base and then he stole second. And John McCain cheered him every step of the way."
2010 gubernatorial campaign
{{Main|Ohio gubernatorial election, 2010}}
Strickland sought reelection as governor in 2010. On January 19, 2010, he chose Yvette McGee BrownYvette McGee Brown became the first African-American female justice on the Ohio Supreme Court when she took office on January 1, 2011...
, a former juvenile court judge from central Ohio, as his running mate, running against John Kasich's running mate Ohio State AuditorThe Ohio State Auditor is responsible for auditing all the public offices of the state of Ohio. The auditor is elected to a four-year term. The current Auditor is Dave Yost....
Mary TaylorMary Taylor is the 65th and current Lieutenant Governor of Ohio.-Early life and business career:Taylor was born in 1961. She attended the Springfield Township school system. She attended the University of Akron, obtaining a Bachelor degree in Accounting and Master's degree in Taxation...
. John Kasich's ties to Lehman BrothersLehman Brothers Holdings Inc. was a global financial services firm. Before declaring bankruptcy in 2008, Lehman was the fourth largest investment bank in the USA , doing business in investment banking, equity and fixed-income sales and trading Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (former NYSE ticker...
played a role in the campaign. Strickland's running mate, Yvette McGee Brown, attempted to capitalize on Governor Strickland taking Ohio schools from somewhere outside the Top 25 best schools in the nation to number 5 in the nation, according to the news media. John Kasich accused Governor Strickland of raising taxes, while Governor Strickland declared the accusation is untrue. Governor Strickland and Yvette McGee Brown both spoke at President Barack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's rally in Columbus, OhioColumbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
shortly before the midterm elections, appearing with singer John LegendJohn Roger Stephens , better known by his stage name John Legend, is an American singer, musician, and actor. He is the recipient of nine Grammy Awards, and in 2007, he received the special Starlight award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.Prior to the release of his debut album, Stephens' career...
, Strickland's lieutenant governor and U.S. Senate candidate Lee FisherLee Fisher was the 64th Lieutenant Governor of Ohio, who served with Governor Ted Strickland from 2007 until 2011.He is a member of the Democratic Party.In addition to serving as Lt...
, and former astronaut and U.S. Senator from OhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
John GlennJohn Herschel Glenn, Jr. is a former United States Marine Corps pilot, astronaut, and United States senator who was the first American to orbit the Earth and the third American in space. Glenn was a Marine Corps fighter pilot before joining NASA's Mercury program as a member of NASA's original...
. The rally drew thousands of attendees, and parts of President Obama's speech were featured on MSNBCMSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
. The awaited results from Cuyahoga County for the gubernatorial election decided the winner of the governorship on November 2, 2010; Strickland was defeated by RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
John KasichJohn Richard Kasich is the 69th and current Governor of Ohio. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing from 1983 to 2001...
, and thus Yvette McGee Brown also lost that night, to Mary Taylor. In Strickland's concession speech, he mentioned he'd called Governor-elect John Kasich to ask if there was anything he could do to make the transition of power easier. Yvette McGee Brown, defeated Attorney General of Ohio Richard CordrayRichard Cordray is an American politician of the Democratic Party who last served as the Attorney General of Ohio. He has been chosen to run the enforcement division of the United States Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which officially began operating in July 2011...
, and others appeared onstage with Strickland as he delivered his concession.
Lame duck nominations
Despite being denied a second term as Governor, Strickland still was entitled to nominate individuals for specific state appointments, which are required to be approved by the Ohio SenateThe Ohio State Senate is the upper house of the Ohio General Assembly, the legislative body for the U.S. state of Ohio. There are 33 State Senators. The state legislature meets in the state capital, Columbus. The President of the Senate presides over the body when in session, and is currently Tom...
. With the Senate being overwhelmingly Republican, there was speculation that perhaps the state senate would not accept some of his nominees in favor of allowing Governor-elect John KasichJohn Richard Kasich is the 69th and current Governor of Ohio. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing from 1983 to 2001...
to make nominations. On November 15, 2010, presumptive future Senate President Tom NiehausTom Niehaus is a Republican member of the Ohio Senate, representing the 14th District since 2005. Previously he was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from 2000 until 2004. Niehaus succeeded Ohio Senate President Doug White, who was prevented by Ohio's term limits law from running for...
stated the approvals would depend upon the impact on policy.
Post-Gubernatorial Career
In 2011, after Strickland's immediate successor to office and former opponent, John KasichJohn Richard Kasich is the 69th and current Governor of Ohio. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing from 1983 to 2001...
, signed into law Senate Bill 5, Former Governor Strickland took a leading role in gathering the signatures necessary under Ohio law to repeal Senate Bill 5 via public referendum. The signatures, amounting to 2,298,301 names, was delivered to the Kasich Administration on June 29th, 2011, far exceeding the required amount of signatures to put the law on the ballot. The signatures were also turned in one day before the ninety day deadline (According to Ohio law, the citizens of OhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
have ninety days after a billA bill is a proposed law under consideration by a legislature. A bill does not become law until it is passed by the legislature and, in most cases, approved by the executive. Once a bill has been enacted into law, it is called an act or a statute....
becomes lawLaw is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
to gather enough signatures to put the law on a ballotA ballot is a device used to record choices made by voters. Each voter uses one ballot, and ballots are not shared. In the simplest elections, a ballot may be a simple scrap of paper on which each voter writes in the name of a candidate, but governmental elections use pre-printed to protect the...
for a public vote). Senate Bill 5 became Issue 2 in the November elections and was defeated in rather decisive fashion.
Electoral history
{{ushr|Ohio|6|}
}: Results 1976–1980, 1992–2004
!|Year
!
!|Democrat
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|Republican
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|3rd Party
!|Party
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
|-
|1976
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Ted Strickland
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |67,067
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |39%
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |William H. Harsha
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |107,064
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |61%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|1978
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Ted Strickland
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |46,313
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |35%
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |William H. Harsha
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |85,592
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |65%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|1980
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Ted Strickland
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |84,235
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |45%
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |Robert D. McEwen
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |101,288
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |55%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|1992
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |{{nowrap|Ted Strickland}}
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |122,720
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |51%
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |Robert D. McEwen
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |119,252
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |49%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|1994
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |{{nowrap|Ted Strickland}}
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |87,861
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |49%
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |{{nowrap|Frank A. Cremeans}}
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |91,263
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |51%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|1996
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Ted Strickland
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |118,003
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |51%
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |{{nowrap|Frank A. Cremeans}}
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |111,907
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |49%
| |*
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|1998
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Ted Strickland
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |102,852
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |57%
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |{{nowrap|Nancy P. Hollister}}
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |77,711
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |43%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|2000
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Ted Strickland
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |138,849
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |58%
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |Mike Azinger
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |96,966
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |40%
|
|{{Party shading/Libertarian}} |Kenneth R. MacCutcheon
|{{Party shading/Libertarian}} |LibertarianThe Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
|{{Party shading/Libertarian}} align="right" |4,759
|{{Party shading/Libertarian}} align="right" |2%
|
|-
|2002
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Ted Strickland
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |113,972
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |59%
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |Mike Halleck
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |77,643
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |41%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|2004
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Ted Strickland
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |223,842
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |100%
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |(no candidate)
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |
| |*
|
|
|
|
|
{{S-end}}
{{Election box begin |title=Ohio Gubernatorial Election 2006The Ohio gubernatorial election of 2006 was held on November 7, 2006, and was a race for the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Ohio. Incumbent Governor Bob Taft could not run for re-election, as Ohio governors are limited to two consecutive terms in office....
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Democratic Party (US)
|candidate = Ted Strickland
|votes = 2,307,420
|percentage = 60.4
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Republican Party (US)
|candidate = Ken BlackwellJohn Kenneth Blackwell is an American politician and activist who served as the mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio from 1979 to 1980 and Ohio Secretary of State from 1999 to 2007. A Republican, he was the first African-American to be the candidate for governor of a major party in Ohio. In 2006, Blackwell...
|votes = 1,406,792
|percentage = 38.8
|change =
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin |title=Ohio Gubernatorial Election 2010The 2010 Ohio gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 2010. Incumbent Governor Ted Strickland, a Democrat, was defeated by former Republican House Budget Chairman John Kasich.-Background:...
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Democratic Party (US)
|candidate = Ted Strickland
|votes = 1,752,790
|percentage = 46.74
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Republican Party (US)
|candidate = John KasichJohn Richard Kasich is the 69th and current Governor of Ohio. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing from 1983 to 2001...
|votes = 1,849,842
|percentage = 49.33
|change =
}}
{{Election box end}}
See also
External links
U.S. Representative (1993–1995, 1997–2007)
{{CongLinks | congbio = s001004 | fec = H6OH06038 | opensecrets = N00003730 }}
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|us-hs}}
{{s-bef|before=Bob McEwenRobert D. "Bob" McEwen is a lobbyist and American politician of the Republican Party, who was a member of the United States House of Representatives from southern Ohio's Sixth District, from January 3, 1981 to January 3, 1993...
}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of the House of Representatives
from Ohio's 6th congressional districtOhio's 6th congressional district is currently represented by Representative Bill Johnson . This district runs along the southeast side of the state, bordering Kentucky, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania...
|years=1993–1995}}
{{s-aft|after=Frank CremeansFrank A. Cremeans was an Ohio small-businessman who represented Ohio in the United States House of Representatives as a Republican. He served one term in Congress, from 1995 to 1997....
}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=Frank CremeansFrank A. Cremeans was an Ohio small-businessman who represented Ohio in the United States House of Representatives as a Republican. He served one term in Congress, from 1995 to 1997....
}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of the House of Representatives
from Ohio's 6th congressional districtOhio's 6th congressional district is currently represented by Representative Bill Johnson . This district runs along the southeast side of the state, bordering Kentucky, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania...
|years=1997–2007}}
{{s-aft|after=Charlie WilsonCharles A. "Charlie" Wilson is the former U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served in the Ohio State Senate and the Ohio House of Representatives...
}}
|-
{{s-ppo}}
{{s-bef|before=Tim HaganTimothy Hagan , a Democrat, is an American politician in Ohio.-Early life:Hagan was born and grew up in Youngstown, Ohio, as one of fourteen siblings . Hagan's father, Bob, was a Trumbull County Commissioner and, later, a State Representative. After graduating from Ursuline High School...
}}
{{s-ttl|title=Democratic PartyThe Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
nominee for Governor of Ohio|years=2006The Ohio gubernatorial election of 2006 was held on November 7, 2006, and was a race for the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Ohio. Incumbent Governor Bob Taft could not run for re-election, as Ohio governors are limited to two consecutive terms in office....
, 2010The 2010 Ohio gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 2010. Incumbent Governor Ted Strickland, a Democrat, was defeated by former Republican House Budget Chairman John Kasich.-Background:...
}}
{{s-inc|recent}}
|-
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=Bob TaftRobert Alphonso "Bob" Taft II is an Ohio Republican Party politician. He was elected to two terms of office as the 67th Governor of the U.S. state of Ohio between 1999-2007. After leaving office, Taft started working for the University of Dayton beginning August 15, 2007.-Personal background:Taft...
}}
{{s-ttl|title=Governor of Ohio|years=2007–2011}}
{{s-aft|after=John KasichJohn Richard Kasich is the 69th and current Governor of Ohio. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing from 1983 to 2001...
}}
{{s-end}}
{{Governors of Ohio}}
{{Persondata
|NAME=Strickland, Ted
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
|SHORT DESCRIPTION=Ohio politician
|DATE OF BIRTH=August 4, 1941
|PLACE OF BIRTH=Lucasville, OhioLucasville is a census-designated place in Scioto County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,588 at the 2000 census. The village of Lucasville was laid out by Captain John Lucas in June 1819 and recorded August 7, 1819. Captain Lucas built the first tavern in the village and kept it until...
|DATE OF DEATH=living
|PLACE OF DEATH=
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Strickland, Ted}}