toledoblade.com --

COLUMBUS - As Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman withdrew from Ohio's 2006 governor's race yesterday, he would not endorse his fellow Democrat and onetime opponent, U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland, for his party's nomination.

Mr. Coleman, who declared his candidacy 10 months ago, said he would make an endorsement in the governor's race "eventually." A campaign strategist, Greg Haas, later told reporters that Mr. Strickland "has no message."

Mr. Strickland countered that job creation, education, and health care are key issues of his campaign.

At a city hall news conference, Mr. Coleman said he was dropping out of the race because he needs to devote more time to his family, not because he thought he would lose the primary.

Mr. Coleman's announcement was made nearly three weeks after his wife, Frankie, pleaded guilty to drunken driving. A police videotape aired on Columbus TV stations showed Mrs. Coleman, who police said had a blood-alcohol level three times the legal limit, failing a sobriety test and telling an officer she had "one wine."

"Throughout her life, she has been taking care of others; now she's taking care of herself, and I'm going to be there to support her,'' said Mr. Coleman, who choked up twice with emotion during his speech.

Mr. Coleman withdrew from the race nearly a week after House Minority Leader Chris Redfern (D., Catawba Island) said he would seek to succeed Denny White as chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party and won the endorsement of Mr. Strickland, who has lined up support from several elected officials and unions for the May 2 primary. The party's executive committee is scheduled to vote Dec. 19 and at least eight candidates for chairman have emerged.

The last Democrat to win a governor's race was Richard Celeste in 1986. The GOP controls all statewide executive offices, both legislative chambers, and six of seven Supreme Court seats.

Former state Rep. Bryan Flannery, a Cleveland-area Democrat who plans to formally announce his campaign for governor, said his positions on the issues are "much more aligned with a majority of Ohioans than those of Congressman Strickland."

Mr. Coleman, who grew up in Toledo and in 2000 took office as the first Democratic mayor of Columbus in 28 years, said it was not too late for other Democrats to jump into the governor's race.

He said he expected some would, although he didn't offer any names.

Those potential candidates include state Sen. Eric Fingerhut (D., Cleveland), who ran for the U.S. Senate last year and lost to GOP incumbent George Voinovich, and TV talk-show host Jerry Springer, a former mayor of Cincinnati who also hosts a liberal radio talk show.

"Primaries offer a chance for people to debate the issues,'' said Mr. Coleman, adding that he has not decided how to use the campaign money he raised for the 2006 race.

Mr. Fingerhut yesterday said he is "taking a serious look at this race."

A spokesman for Mr. Springer said he has not decided whether to run for governor or the U.S. Senate seat now held by Republican Mike DeWine.

"The best scenario is for Springer to run and for Strickland to beat him," said Jim Ruvolo, a Toledo area consultant and former chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party.

"We would be guaranteed a lot of free media," Mr. Ruvolo added, referring to extensive news coverage.

Bob Bennett, chairman of the Ohio Republican Party, said in a written statement that the Ohio Democratic Party "is clearly in disarray."

"They have no leadership, no vision and no ideas for leading Ohio forward. Mike Coleman finally found out that running for governor requires more than publicity stunts and political finger pointing. It's a good reminder to the mayor's fellow Democrats," Mr. Bennett said.

Brian Rothenberg, a spokesman for the Ohio Democratic Party, said Mr. Bennett was playing an old trick that Democrats won't fall for this time.

"It's a pattern of Bob Bennett baiting Democrats into giving plans and running as if they were in power. And then in the end, Ohioans remain with Republican rule that leads to less jobs and higher taxes. The Democratic candidates will have individual plans to remedy Bob Bennett's record of job losses and corruption," Mr. Rothenberg said

Mr. Coleman was an early critic of the Bureau of Workers' Compensation investment in rare-coin funds controlled by former Toledo-area coin dealer Tom Noe.

On April 3, the day The Blade revealed that the state had continued to invest $50 million in Mr. Noe's Capital Coin Fund I and II despite major concerns raised by an internal bureau auditor, Mr. Coleman called for an investigation.

"It sets up a very, very big potential for major public losses of dollars," Mr. Coleman said several weeks before attorneys for Mr. Noe told authorities that there is a shortfall of up to $13 million from the investment.

Mr. Strickland said he expected the scandal that has gripped the administration of Gov. Bob Taft and touched some of the leading GOP candidates for governor to be an "important" part of the campaign.

Mr. Noe, a GOP fund-raiser, was indicted last month on charges he laundered money into President Bush's re-election campaign.

"The so-called pay-to-play system, the lack of oversight of the workers' comp program - all of those things I think are justifiable matters to raise during a campaign," Mr. Strickland said.

He added, "However, I have said and I deeply believe that simply pointing out the failures of the Republican leadership in this state is not sufficient to propel Democrats to victory. I think we need to point out what they've done wrong, emphasize their failures, and then contrast that with a positive agenda."

Contact James Drew at:
jdrew@theblade.com
or 614-221-0496.

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