A celebrity name has been put forward as a Democratic candidate for the Governor of Ohio. He has been a talk show host, more famous for entertainment, and yet far more politically experienced than the current president, Donald Trump.
Give up?
It is none other than Jerry Springer.
Yes, as in “Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!” That one.
Ted Strickland, former Governor of Ohio, told Business Insider that he had been speaking with Jerry Springer about the possibility. Strickland, who also ran for the senate last year, said he had:
“…Been doing whatever I could to encourage any of those who are talking about running … and I think it’s important that we win and that we have the strongest possible candidate.”
Expanding on why Springer would be a good choice, Strickland then added that Springer:
“…Certainly would start out with wide name.”
The world was stunned when reality TV star Trump, a man with no military or political experience, managed to pull off the fluke of the millennium by winning the presidency last year.
However, Jerry Springer does have actual political experience dating back to the 1970s. He has been the Mayor of Cincinnati, but he has also unsuccessfully attempted to be the Democratic nominee for the Governor of Ohio in 1982. He has also talked of running again in the early 2000s and again just a few years ago.
Springer has been a lawyer, a musician, and played an active role in his hometown of Cincinnati, even helping to save the Cincinnati Union Terminal. He is most famous for his sensational and over the top television show, The Jerry Springer Show. This program was hugely successful and made him a household name. It was the show that brought other people’s domestic disputes into America’s living rooms.
It seems he is still popular enough that Democrats such as Strickland are keen to use his well known status to ensure a win as Governor.
While all of this speculation goes on, Springer himself has thrown water on the idea as he recently tweeted this:
Article about me running for Ohio Gov? If I throw my hat in the ring, I'll let folks know. Right now, I don't even have a hat!
— Jerry Springer (@jerryspringer) May 30, 2017
I guess we will have to wait and see.
Watch a 1980 campaign ad from Jerry Springer:
Featured image via YouTube.
