BY SANDY THEIS
Enquirer Columbus Bureau
COLUMBUS -- Citing unspecified "personal reasons," Robert Richman resigned Monday as director of Democrat Lee Fisher's campaign for governor.
The departure comes as Mr. Fisher appears to be gaining some momentum from his recent efforts to reform managed care.
While such high-level resignations often signal turmoil at campaigns, Mr. Richman insisted the campaign is in solid shape. "This is a decision that I made, and it has nothing to do with the campaign or with Lee," Mr. Richman said. "The campaign is going well and I wouldn't want to leave under any other circumstances." At age 27, Mr. Richman was rather young to be running such a high-profile race. In January, when Mr. Richman's appointment was announced, the Fisher campaign said he had worked on "more than 20 campaigns at the national, state and local levels."
Ohio successor
He will be succeed by Marc Gaunce, a 34-year-old Ohio resident who has been deputy campaign manager for the past month. Mr. Gaunce served as campaign manager for Mr. Fisher's unsuccessful campaign for Ohio attorney general and has managed other local, statewide and federal races.
Democratic Party strategists played down Mr. Richman's departure. "This is never something that the campaign wants or that the campaign manager wants. It is not helpful to them," said former Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Paul Tipps, who is now a Statehouse lobbyist.
Still, Mr. Tipps said the campaign is progressing nicely -- especially since it unveiled the proposal to give patients more clout in their dealings with health-maintenance organizations.
"They got on the front end of that curve," he said. "It's an issue the people are responding to."
Some newspaper columnists have criticized Mr. Fisher as being too cautious, noting his Republican challenger, Bob Taft, is more visible and has taken on more issues sooner.
Mr. Tipps said the Fisher campaign is focusing more on the field organization, fund-raising and issue development.
"You start dealing with the public when the public wants to be dealt with," he said.
Taft senses disarray
The Taft campaign portrayed Mr. Richman's departure as a sign the campaign is in trouble, and Mr. Taft continued to criticize Mr. Fisher for taking advantage of a 12-day window that allowed him to accept unlimited donations from organized labor. The window ended Monday when a law took effect that limits unions to $2,500 donations per election cycle.
Mr. Taft voluntarily disclosed his campaign raised $369,000 from June 12 through Sunday -- the period that includes the 12-day window.
Because of a loophole in the campaign finance law, the money technically does not have to be reported until October.
The Fisher campaign insisted it will not return any money raised during the 12-day window, nor will it immediately disclose all money raised up through last week.
