Mandel signs term-limit pledge
Saying it’s time COLUMBUS — to hand power back to the people, Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel on Monday endorsed a constitutional amendment that would limit his service in the U.S. Senate to 12 years — if he’s elected.
In signing the pledge, Mandel a Republican, took several shots at Sen. Sherrod Brown, whom Mandel is again challenging in the 2018 election. Mandel said Brown, a Democrat, pledged to serve only 12 years when he was elected to Congress 25 years ago and then went back on that promise.
“He went to Washington to do good, but he stayed to do well,” Mandel said, accusing Brown of attending cocktail parties with and taking campaign contributions from “coastal elites” from places like Massachusetts and San Francisco.
Over his time in office, Brown has lost touch with the people of Ohio, Mandel said. “It started when he broke his pledge,” Mandel said.
Brown’s campaign couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
Mandel made an earlier term-limits pledge when he ran unsuccessfully against Brown in 2012.
Ohio Democrats on Monday said that when Mandel ran in 2012, he broke a pledge of his own: by seeking higher office after pledging 2010 to serve a full term as treasurer.
Asked whether he made the 2010 pledge, Mandel said, “I don’t recall.” He then listed accomplishments as treasurer and pointed out that he was re-elected in 2014.
“Obviously, the voters liked what they saw,” Mandel said.
Mandel said term limits are a way to “transfer power from politicians to the people.”
Asked if limits wouldn’t take away people’s power to vote for 12-year incumbents, Mandel said incumbents have unfair advantages. For example, members of Congress have franking privileges that allow them to send mail to constituents at taxpayer expense, he said.
Nick Tomboulides, executive director of the advocacy group U.S. Term Limits who was at the press conference, said that term limits have consistently been popular with voters and it’s time for Congress to heed them.