From the Toledo Blade:Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman plans to announce today that he will drop out of the race for the Democratic nomination for governor.This is good news for Strickland as Flannery hasn't been taken seriously by Ohio Dems near as I can tell.
The announcement clears the field on the Democratic side in the governor's race for U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland, of Lisbon, and Brian Flannery, a former Democratic state representative from suburban Cleveland.
A news conference is schedule for this afternoon at Columbus City Hall.
Viking Spirit, who has more to say on the subject, hopes that this will prompt Eric Fingerhut to jump in to the race. I think that rather unlikely, but I like the idea...
Mark's Remarks
If the Ohio GOP has any sense (I doubt it), they will "encourage" Montgomery and Petro to "get the hell out" immediately and get the party unified behind Ken Blackwell. That is the effort the Dems are doing. I am sure an egomaniac like Coleman did not drop out due to thinking about what was best for the state or the party, but rather through party manipulation. The GOP in Ohio needs to circle the wagons behind Blackwell, and leave the remnants of the "establishment" (ie, Montgomery and Petro)to the ash heap of Ohio political history.
