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Iraq Vet Exits Race, Blames Democrats

Posted on: Wednesday, 15 February 2006, 18:00 CST

By CHRIS CILLIZZA, WASHINGTON POST NEWS SERVICE

WASHINGTON Iraq war veteran Paul Hackett withdrew Tuesday from Ohio's U.S. Senate race, blaming the national Democratic Party for his inability to gain financial traction in his primary contest against Rep. Sherrod Brown.

"I made this decision reluctantly, only after repeated requests by party leaders, as well as behind-the-scenes machinations, that were intended to hurt my campaign," Hackett said in his formal withdrawal statement.

Hackett alleged that several party leaders including Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. had made calls to donors discouraging them from contributing to his campaign, an allegation that DSCC spokesman Phil Singer denied.

Hackett's departure from the race ensures that Brown, a seven- term House member from the Akron area, will be the Democrats' standard-bearer in the fall against Republican Sen. Mike DeWine. Democrats are heavily targeting DeWine this fall because of the political upheaval involving state Republicans the result of scandals involving outgoing Gov. Bob Taft and one of his chief fund- raisers.

Source: Record, The; Bergen County, N.J.

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