Jerry Springer considering run for governor

When tabloid talk show host Jerry Springer walks around town, his fans shout out “Jerry! Jerry!” They want to shake his hand. They want to take a selfie with him.

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Springer, a Democrat who once served as Cincinnati mayor, is now weighing whether he can leverage that celebrity — along with the baggage of hosting a controversial show for 26 years — into a successful run for Ohio governor.

“He is in the throes of sorting this out and he can’t take too much longer,” said Jene Galvin, Springer’s close friend and long-time collaborator. Galvin and Springer produce an online podcast together.

Galvin said Democrats from different parts of the state asked Springer to consider running for governor.

Springer abandoned a chance to run for U.S. Senate in 2004 because of negative views of his talk show, which thrived on bad taste stunts, brawls and controversy. Nonetheless, Springer is well-connected in the Ohio Democratic Party, is a charismatic speaker, and can debate a wide breadth of issues.

The fact that a reality TV show host — Donald Trump — won the White House could work both for and against Springer’s chances of winning the governor’s job, Galvin said. “It’s a double-edged sword.”

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