Ex-Ohio Governor Takes Position at Policy Center

Ohio's former governor will promote liberal causes in his home state and across the country as the new head of a Washington think tank's advocacy arm.

Democrat Ted Strickland will become president of the Center for American Progress Action Fund on April 1, he told The Associated Press in conjunction with Wednesday's announcement.

Strickland said the job entails occasional blogging, some fundraising and traveling around the country talking about causes such as minimum-wage increases, immigration reform, pay equity, workers' rights, abortion rights and gay marriage.

"This position will give me the opportunity to do what I sought to do during my 12 years in Congress and my four years in the governor's office, and that's to promote policies that are good for average working families," he said in an interview.

Working at the nonprofit precludes Strickland, Ohio's most recent Democratic governor, from making commercials or holding fundraisers for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ed FitzGerald in his fall campaign against Republican Gov. John Kasich.

Kasich ousted Strickland from Ohio's governorship in 2010.

Strickland said working for the nonprofit will give him a forum to continue working for causes he believes in despite losing that election.

"For me, it's the perfect job, and I'm really excited about it," he said. "It will give me the opportunity outside of elective office to work on the things I care about and to be in some ways even more effective than I was able to be as an officeholder."

As the center's president, Strickland will control a budget of about $7 million and oversee two main operations: a staff of bloggers for a site that sees some 6 million hits a month; and a "war room" where Center for American Progress research is translated into action and advocacy, he said.

Strickland said he'll be based in Washington but continue maintaining a residence in Ohio with his wife, Frances.