So a union endorses a Democrat and somehow that’s making headline news? Even the liberal blogs are making it a big deal:
Of course, that statement sounds more impressive than it factually is. Just take a look at the U.S. Senate races in Ohio since 1988. The FOP endorsed candidate is in BOLD:
- 2010: ROB PORTMAN vs. Lee Fisher
- 2006: MIKE DEWINE vs. Sherrod Brown
- 2004: GEORGE VOINOVICH vs. Eric Fingerhut
- 2000: MIKE DEWINE vs. Ted Celeste
- 1998: GEORGE VOINOVICH vs. Mary Boyle
- 1994: MIKE DEWINE vs. Joel Hyatt
- 1992: John Glenn vs. MIKE DEWINE
- 1988: HOWARD METZENBAUM vs. George Voinovich
See a pattern? The FOP seldom endorses anyone but incumbents.
The exceptions?
When there was no incumbent, the FOP endorsed the only candidate with a chance to win. In 1994, Joel Hyatt (D) had no name ID, since he wasn’t an elected official anywhere. In 1998, Mary Boyle (D) was a Cleveland-area state representative running against a Cleveland-area Republican. And in 2010, Lee Fisher (D), well, his campaign skills were functionally non-existent.
The only other exception? The election of 1992, they endorsed the tough-on-crime former prosecutor Mike DeWine (R), over the incumbent Democrat, John Glenn, just a few years after Glenn was implicated in the Keating Five corruption scandal.
Can’t exactly get the police endorsement fresh off of allegations you broke the law.
So the Brown endorsement is nothing new. Heck, it’s even less news than a union endorsing a Democrat. It’s just an organization endorsing incumbents.
Way to go out on a limb, FOP.
Cross-posted at GOHP Blog.