Springer To Be A Candidate, At Least On Paper

onnnews.com ^ | July 10, 2003 | Tom Chansky

[Servant of the Nine]

Jerry Springer will officially file for a U.S. Senate run in Ohio, but he hasn’t made up his mind on a campaign just yet.

The talk show host and former Cincinnati mayor will file papers for a U.S. Senate campaign as early as Friday. Mike Ford, a political advisor for Springer, says the filing is necessary to avoid any legal problems that might arise from the airing of a 30-minute infomercial.

Ford says Springer will still make a final decision on whether to run by the end of the month.

The commercial is aimed at increasing Springer’s national fund-raising efforts and will not be shown in Ohio initially. Springer will appear on the program to outline his positions on issues, as well as discuss his background and experience.

The infomercial, which begins airing today, seeks small donations and offers t-shirts, bumper stickers and CDs of Springer singing.

The infomercial was not immediately scheduled for Ohio because of equal access concerns involving Springer's talk show, which still runs daily.

Another Democrat, state Senator Eric Fingerhut, from Cleveland, has already declared his candidacy.

The nominee will take on incumbent Republican George Voinovich.

Over the past few months, Springer has toured Ohio, trying to gauge interest. Springer has also set up a website to test voter support.

Springer also says he expects an expensive campaign, saying it would take more than the $12 million Voinovich reportedly has in his war chest to win. Springer says if people concentrate on his message, rather than his controversial show, he believes he will win.

Springer served as a city councilman and mayor in Cincinnati in the 1970's before becoming a TV news anchor and commentator. He ran for Ohio governor in 1982, finishing last in a three-way primary and winning only six of 88 counties.

© Dispatch Productions, Inc., 2003. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. AP contributed to this report.

[Servant of the Nine]

Any body that has room for Teddy Kennedy and Hillary Clinton has room for a Jerry Springer.

So9

[Support Free Republic]

Lighten Up, Francis!

Fundraising posts only happen quarterly, and are gone as soon as we meet the goal. Help make it happen.

[My2Cents]

A Springer candidacy would be great, and consistent with the continued slide of the Democrat Party into shrill irrelevancy.

[DoughtyOne]

Around here Gore was just a condidate on paper.

[DoughtyOne]

Heh heh heh... "condidate"... I kinka like that.

[Dan from Michigan]

Springer would be a Geoff Fieger candidate for them.

[mikeb704]

Forget the Senate, Jerry. Dean-Springer 2004 sounds great, doesn't it?

Michael M. Bates:My Side of the Swamp

[cherry_bomb88]

Well, the dems in the senate are already fit to be on the Springer Show....why not

[TSgt]

I have to admit...

Voinovich is a crook and DeWine is a kook.

Maybe Springer will legalize brothels in Ohio? ;)

[jagrmeister]

We MUST nationalize a Springer candidacy. Any Democrat who we want to stigmatize should be immediately labeled a "Jerry Springer Democrat". While doing this, we should reference election exit polls that show that the only voter bloc that Democrats dominate (on education) is high school drop-outs. They win that vote by 20 (yes 20!) points. I hope this withering attack will shame enough people to think about whether they want to consider themselves Democrats or join the thinking person's party- the GOP.