LIMA — Facing a double-digit deficit in the most recent poll and growing, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Ted Strickland met with United Auto Workers members in Lima on Thursday, telling them he would represent them best.
“I want to unrig a rigged system,” Strickland said.
Strickland is down in the recent polls by double digits to Republican Sen. Rob Portman. Strickland is touring the state in hopes of regaining ground as the Nov. 8 election quickly approaches.
Speaking to autoworkers, Strickland said Portman didn’t support them during the auto bailout. He said Portman called the bailout a “lousy idea.”
Portman campaign spokeswoman Michawn Rich defended Portman while firing back at Strickland. Rich said Portman has received support from unions such as Teamsters, the Fraternal Order of Police and the United Mine Workers of America.
“Rob has consistently said he would have supported the auto rescue but would have pushed for improvements to protect the auto plants and dealerships in Ohio that shut down during Governor Strickland’s tenure,” Rich said.
George Jeffries, a UAW Local 2147 leader, said Strickland has always been on the side of automakers.
“There’s no better fighter for the middle class than Ted Strickland,” Jeffries said.
Strickland said Ohio’s economy would have failed if the auto industry was allowed to fail during the Great Recession.
“This was not done just for union workers, it was done for all of Ohio,” he said.
Strickland said he is well aware of the sacrifices union workers agreed to, including a two-tier system and lower wages to help save the auto industry in the United States. He also said he would like to see workers in the second tier start receiving higher wages especially with the profits being made again in the auto industry.
Strickland talked about his background growing up in a working family on a dirt road.
“I’m proud of my background, and I’ve never forgotten where I came from,” he said.
Ray Lopinski, the production bargaining representative for UAW Local 1219, said Strickland is the type of person Ohio needs in the U.S. Senate. While Ford Motor Co. didn’t take bailout money during the auto rescue, he said it’s hard telling where the tens of thousands of auto jobs would be if the bailout was not made available.
Lopinski said the auto industry has given him a good life in the 20 years he’s worked. He moved to Lima where he is raising a family, he said.
“Ted Strickland is on our side,” he said.
If elected, Strickland, the former governor of Ohio, said he would stand up for fair wages, good benefits and safe working conditions.
