Senate Guru is reporting:

Ohio: Despite both Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner and Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher entering the 2010 Democratic Senate primary this week, Cuyahoga County Commissioner Peter Lawson Jones is reportedly moving forward with a Senate campaign exploratory committee. It will be interesting to hear how he expects to get traction against two statewide officials in the primary.

It will be interesting.

My own feeling is that Governor Ted Strickland’s quick endorsement of his Lieutenant Governor, Lee Fisher, for the Senate seat being vacated by Republican George Voinovich will only intensify pressure on Jennifer Brunner from her fellow Democrats to get out of the race. Jones may receive some pressure, but at this point is likely regarded as a non-factor whose presence on the ballot is meaningless…except perhaps to his future in the state party.

As Ohio’s secretary of state, Brunner could, if re-elected next year, play a critical role in the post-census reapportionment process. Ohio’s secretary of state is, by law, part of the five-member reapportionment board. Three years ago, Democrats swept into most of the statewide offices after a nearly two-decade stranglehold on them by the Republicans. Controlling the board is a free pass to gerrymander at will–or nearly so, allowing whichever party to send more of their clan to Congress in 2012 or 2014.

Brunner has already caught a lot of flack to make way for Fisher, but has so far steadfastly refused to budge.

[This has been crossposted at my personal blog.]