It looks like US Senate Candidate Rob Portman will be forced to waste money fighting an ad war with primary opponent Tom Ganley.  The Cleveland car dealer seems intent on spending millions of his own money despite little likelihood of winning.  He has made his first ad buy as part of that strategy:

Republican Senate candidate Tom Ganley, the car dealer from Cleveland who has said he will put up millions of dollars in his own money on the race, is on the air statewide with an ad that aims to highlight his ability to create jobs, according to his campaign.

Ganley is trying to buy his way into a competitive primary.  Unlike Portman who is well on his way to visiting all 88 counties in Ohio, and has been tirelessly campaigning, Ganley is simply vowing to spend millions on advertising.  The only winners in this battle are going to be TV stations and ad consultants.

Ganley has a mistaken view of the recent race in NY-23 and is going to waste a lot of time, effort and money as a result. For why, see below.

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I have long argued that conservatives need to be strategic in their thinking when it comes to elections. While I will fully admit that balancing “the most electable” with “the most conservative” is rarely easy it is still a critical decision to make. “Throw all the bums out” is not a wise strategy for regaining the majority or implementing conservative policy.

This has recently been driven home to me as various groups, personalities, and candidates seek to use the Tea Parties, and other populist sentiments, to push their own agenda; an agenda that I think hurts both the GOP and efforts at conservative governance.

One example in particular stands out: Bay Buchanan, Tom Ganley and the attacks on Rob Portman. Portman and Ganley are competing for the Republican nomination for the Ohio US Senate seat open with the retirement of George Voinovich.

Portman is a former Congressman, US Trade Representative, and OMB Director. Ganley is highly successful auto dealer in the Cleveland area. To put it bluntly, the only reason Ganley is a part of this equation is the assertion, or threat depending on your perspective, that he is willing to spend $7 million dollars; most of it his own money.

Now there are problems with this scenario (more on that below), but recently Bay Buchanan has entered the fray in an attempt to make this an ideological battle. We would do well to ignore her advice and be suspicious about her motives.

Rather long rant argument follows below.

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Democrats and their lefty blog supporters have been trying to pin whatever negative association they can find on Rob Portman.  The primary one being that he worked for George W. Bush (in one giggle inducing stunt they called him the “architect” of the Bush economy which was news to Portman and Bush I am sure).

They must be getting tired of that particular tune because now they are branching out in ever greater desperation [$ sub req].  They are now combing through the cases of the law firm Squire Sanders, & Dempsey and associating anything that might be seen as negative with Portman.

The firm is involved in a trade dispute?  Blame Portman.  Connected with the government bailout? Blame Portman.

Now this is pretty much deceptive campaign tactics 101.  Anyone familiar with the workings of a large law firm knows that mere employment does not mean approval of every case handled or client represented.

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This afternoon I took a trip to downtown Circleville, Ohio to catch a stop on Rob Portman’s just launched RV Tour.  Rob spoke to grassroots leaders from the area and stressed the importance of this race; and Ohio in general in 2010.

He stressed how important it was to avoid giving President Obama and Democrats in Congress another rubber stamp for their liberal agenda.  He noted that on a host of issues (health care, energy, taxes, the deficit, etc.) the Democrats are pushing liberal policies out of line with the common sense conservatism and values of Ohio.

He noted that the stimulus was rushed through and yet is having little to no positive impact on Ohio despite the Democrats grandiose promises.  He noted that on issues like Cap and Trade and Health Care the Democrat proposals are simply going to raise taxes and kill job growth in Ohio.

I was lucky enough to have a chance to talk with Rob briefly on the RV.  In the video clip below he stressed these same issues and highlighted why this race is so important.

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When the media uses the word “trounces” in the headline in reference to your fundraising lead over your opponents that is a good thing:

Republican Rob Portman raised $1.7 million for his U.S. Senate campaign during the second quarter of 2009 — more money than both his Democratic rivals combined.

“I’m very pleased with it,” Portman said at Washington, D.C. press conference. “We had a great response from all corners of the state.”

Portman, a former Cincinnati-area congressman who held two Cabinet posts under President George W. Bush, ended the quarter with $4.3 million in the bank. About $1.4 million of that was left over from the war chest he accumulated in the House of Representatives. He’s raised $3.4 million during the election cycle.

Ohio Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher, one of two Democrats seeking the Senate seat to be vacated by George Voinovich’s retirement, raised more than $900,000 in the quarter, bringing his fund-raising total to $1.9 million. Fisher has about $1.48 million left in the bank.

His competition in the Democratic primary, Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, raised $228,000 in the second quarter, slightly more than the first quarter total of $207,000.

So Portman raised more money this quarter than Fisher has on hand and more money that Fisher and Brunner (whose money woes are continuing) combined.  Ouch!

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Why am I taking the time to show an attack ad by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee?  Because I think it is far from damaging and I think it highlights a number of things.

First of all, the Ds must be worried about Portman because why else would they offer an attack ad this early? They know Portman is raising serious money and that his numbers are improving.  So why not take swipe at him and try and slow his momentum.

Second, how lame is this ad? Put aside the debate about trade - and the claim that Portman sent jobs overseas - are they actually accusing Portman of increasing the debt?!?  Do we have a chart?  Chart after the fold:

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It is not a big surprise given the circumstances, and his lack of political experience, but Tom Ganley is clearly planning on running a populist anti-Washington campaign for the US Senate seat open thanks to George Voinovich’s retirement.  His announcement speech today in Brecksville was not particularly polished but its message was that politicians in DC are threatening the American way of life and it takes a honest citizen to make things right.

His speech didn’t give any indication that specific issues will be the focus of this campaign (he denigrated the bailout, run away deficits, cap and trade, and vaguely hinted at unfair trade policies).  He didn’t say anything that most Republicans would have a problem with necessarily.  The speech certainly had a populist edge, however, and it seems clear that he will attack - if that is the right word - Portman for being a career politician with all that that supposedly entails.

But the question that, in my opinion, will come to define this campaign is why is he perpared to run for the US Senate let alone win both the priamry and the general election and serve in such a capacity.  One doesn’t have to be an elistist to wonder if a person’s very first political campaign should be the US Senate.

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As I noted previously, and as Politics Extra notes today, it looks like Rob Portman will have competition in the GOP primary to replace George Voinovich:

Former congressman and Bush administration Rob Portman has a boatload of money and the support of the Ohio Republican Party establishment in his 2010 bid for the U.S. Senate. He even has the endorsement of the man he wants to replace, retiring Sen. George Voinovich.

But it looks as if he won’t get a free ride in the GOP primary next spring. Word is that Tom Ganley, a car dealer from northeast Ohio, will announce his candidacy Wednesday in Cleveland.

The Columbus dispatch has more, including quotes:

Cleveland-area auto dealer Tom Ganley will announce Wednesday his Republican candidacy for the U.S. Senate, setting up a potentially expensive 2010 primary election against former U.S. Rep. Rob Portman of Cincinnati.

Although he has never served in elected office, Ganley, 65, said today that he thinks he can win the seat to be vacated at the end of next year by retiring Republican Sen. George V. Voinovich.

“I have a great passion to see this through to a conclusion, to a victory,” said Ganley, who will kick off his campaign with a speech in his hometown of Brecksville.

A millionaire, Ganley indicated that he is willing to spend a considerable chunk of his fortune to win the GOP nomination against Portman.

“The campaign will be well-funded,” Ganley said. “It will be very well-funded.”

By virtue of his auto dealerships’ heavy advertising, Ganley said he has “tremendous name recognition in northern Ohio.”

I plan to attend the announcement/press conference tomorrow so be sure to check back tomorrow afternoon for the details (including video, I hope).