Maybe it's the candidate

Democrat Lee Fisher's campaign for Ohio's open U.S. Senate seat has gone through three campaign managers this year, lost its press secretary this week, and continues to trail in polling and fundraising.

But Ohio Democratic leaders say none of that really matters.

Republicans have been crowing that the troubles Fisher, Ohio's lieutenant governor, has faced are signs of a campaign in disarray with only two months to go before early voting starts on Sept. 28.

When Fisher campaign press secretary John Collins announced Monday he was leaving to join Democratic Senate candidate Jack Conway's campaign in Kentucky, the campaign of Republican senate candidate Rob Portman was quick with a response.

"Just like over a thousand others, this is one more job that's moved south to Kentucky on Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher's watch," said Jeff Sadosky, communications director for the Portman campaign.

Republicans argue that the fact that Fisher has had trouble keeping a campaign staff together, trails Portman by a nine-to-one margin in campaign funds and is six points behind in a Rasmussen Reports poll released last week is proof of a campaign in trouble.

The Rasmussen poll showed Portman with support from 45 percent of the likely voters polled, while Fisher had 39 percent.

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