Cleveland City Council endorses Lee Fisher in US Senate bid‎

Mark Gillispie · Cleveland Plain Dealer · Link to Article

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Ohio Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher came to Cleveland CIty Council today seeking the endorsement of council members in his Democratic primary race against Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner for U.S. Senate.

As expected, all the council members in attendance gave Fisher their endorsement. Fisher has an edge on Brunner for several reasons. Fisher has spent most of his life in Greater Cleveland and lives in Shaker Heights. Brunner (who visited a City Council meeting several weeks ago) lives in Columbus.

And it doesn't hurt that Fisher's brother-in-law is Councilman Matt Zone. Fisher is married to Zone's sister, Peggy.

Fisher told council members that when he agreed to run on the ticket with Gov. Ted Strickland three years ago that he signed on for eight years -- two gubernatorial terms -- but that the good work he and the governor are doing in Columbus had been "overshadowed and undermined by the policies" of the Bush administration.

"I believe I can make a greater difference in the U.S. Senate," Fisher said.

Fisher said his job as lieutenant governor requires him to remain in the background about what he has achieved for the state. Fisher the Senate candidate has no such qualms.

He bragged about how Strickland, with his help as the state's economic development director, has received the Governor's Cup award three consecutive years for having created the most new development projects in the country.

"I'm all about jobs," Fisher told council. "Always have been, always will be."

Responding to questions from council members, Fisher said he would always push for an urban agenda, that he thinks the Democratic Party has done a poor job of selling health care reform, that the U.S. Senate should end the practice of filibuster and that U.S. Bankruptcy Court judges should be given the power to write down principal and interest for homeowners behind on their payments.

Despite Fisher's huge fundraising advantage over Brunner, a recent poll shows that the two candidates are in a dead heat.

Should Fisher beat Brunner and move on to face the likely Republican nominee, Rob Portman, in November, it won't be necessary for him to return to council for another endorsement. All 19 council members are Democrats.