Wednesday, August 11, 1999
Labor could throw support to Springer
Union chief says TV host would be a viable candidate
BY HOWARD WILKINSON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The leader of one of the Ohio Democratic Party's most significant constituencies, organized labor, says he could live with Jerry Springer as the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate.
“Jerry Springer's TV show is junk, but he's not,” said William Burga, president of the 800,000- member Ohio AFL-CIO.
Since reports surfaced last month that Mr. Springer — the former Cincinnati mayor who hosts a Chicago-based talk show known for its on-the-set violence and bizarre subject matter — was considering a run for the seat now held by U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, few Ohio Democrats have had much good to say about the idea.
But Mr. Burga said Mr. Springer could make a “good, viable” candidate. “He's a smart guy; he has the name ID, and he could raise some money,” Mr. Burga said.
Mr. Burga said he thinks either Mr. Springer or Richard Cordray, a Columbus lawyer who formed a Senate exploratory committee last week, would be acceptable to most of organized labor.
The reaction from some national Democratic leaders to the prospect of a Springer candidacy has been anything but posi tive. Last week, Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle and U.S. Sen. Robert Torricelli, chairman of the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee, said Mr. Springer would not be welcome.
Mr. Burga said he can't understand what Mr. Daschle is thinking.
“I don't understand why there is this mean-spirited feeling about Springer,” Mr. Burga said. “They've got a wrestler as governor in Minnesota. I don't see wrestling as any better than what Springer does on TV.”
Hamilton County Democratic Party Co-chairman Tim Burke, who has been touting a Springer candidacy, said the support of organized labor could be a significant source of campaign money and votes for the former Cincinnati councilman and mayor.
Mr. Springer has been out of the country, but has told friends he will make up his mind about the 2000 race for Mr. DeWine's seat by Labor Day.
Mr. Burke, a friend of Mr. Springer from his days as a councilman here, said he considers it a “50-50 proposition"' that Mr. Springer will run.
Former Ohio Gov. John Gilligan, a Cincinnatian who joined Mr. Cordray's exploratory committee last week, said Tuesday he didn't want to get into the speculation over a Springer candidacy.
“I've been out of town and when I heard about it, I thought it must be Tim Burke's idea of a joke,” Mr. Gilligan said.
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