There is a major element in the Republican establishment that is urging its congressional candidates to distance themselves from Donald Trump, the party's presumptive presidential candidate, lest Republicans suffer defeat in November. This is bad advice for Ohio's sitting senator, Rob Portman, who is running against former governor Ted Strickland, a Democrat. Current polls show that the Portman-Strickland race is neck-and-neck, even though Strickland was a disaster in his stint as governor of Ohio.  Most recent polls show Portman up by a mere half of a percent, which bodes ill for an incumbent. One of the reasons for the tightness of this race is that Strickland is skillfully highlighting Portman's record of supporting eight "free" trade bills and for granting China most favorable trading status.  Such attacks resonate in Ohio.  This is not negative advertising, by the way.  It is factual and is a legitimate issue.  This is...(Read Full Post)