Strickland Airing First TV Ads

illoried by negative attacks and lagging in funding and some polls, former Governor Ted Strickland is airing the first television ads of his campaign against U.S. Senator Rob Portman.  The multi-million dollar ad buy began across Ohio Wednesday.  The 60-second spot focuses on Strickland’s hard-scrabble childhood in Appalachian Ohio, his blue-collar roots and the campaign’s working class focus.  The ads skirt the democrat’s four years as governor, a target of millions in anti-Strickland ads.  Leading the state during a national recession, Strickland presided over deep budget cuts and about 350,000 job loses.  Anti-Portman ads also are filling Ohio airwaves in One of 2016’s most expensive election contests.  Portman’s  campaign said the ads “Ohio Heart and Soul” message ignores Strickland’s time at a Washington, D.C. based liberal policy think tank after losing re-election.