Mandel: Off and running - again and again etc.

WHAT'S THIS THAT we're hearing about Josh Mandel, the young Lyndhurst Republican who at 33 has already held more positions than an Indians' utility player? Or, in baseball lingo, "much traveled".

Mandel is one of those phenoms - "young powerhouses" according to his gathering conservative friends - who was washed into the Ohio treasurer's office by the GOP tidal wave only last November. In political time, that could easily have been a a century ago for a person of his agility. .

Pols with his ambitious itinerary don't stay put for long. Upon election as treasurer he had repeatedly assured the voters that he would at least hang around for the full four- year term in the job that would likely bore a fellow with his wealth and curiosity. But now, little more than three months into the job, he has filed papers with the Federal Election Commission to run for the Senate against U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown.

Earlier, he had been a Lyndhurst city councilman and then state representative. The latter job, which gave him little time to serve with distinction (a couple of bills that he introduced got nowhere, I'm told ). Thrilled by his hustle, his supporters boast that Mandel is "tested and trusted," Indeed, he has such an impressive political work ethic, they want you to know, that in his campaign for in the legislature, he "knocked on 19,679 doors and wore out three pairs of shoes listening to citizens." Sorry, there's no way I can challenge the doors figure.

I do have to raise the question of why his campaign ads for treasurer suggested that his opponent, Kevin Boyce, an African American, was linked to a mosque! As some have asked, what would have been the consequence if Boyce's ads had linked Mandel to a synagogue?

Mandel has been silent on SB5, explaining that his work as state treasurer has denied him an opportunity to know more about the bill. I seldom offer help for conservative Republicans, but in his case I would at least remind him that the union-busting bill has been thoroughly parsed in all of the papers and maybe even on Sesame Street. Good grief!