Another day, another presidential candidate in town

Howard Wilkinson reports:

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a former Clinton administration cabinet officer and baseball fan, joked he came to Cincinnati Wednesday to meet Ken Griffey Jr.

But Richardson, who wants to be the next president, knows perfectly well that, number one, the Cincinnati Reds aren’t in town; and, number two, that the road to the White House in 2008 will run through Ohio.

“This is the state that is probably going to, again, determine who wins the presidency,’’ the former energy secretary and UN ambassador told the Enquirer Wednesday, after speaking at an Ohio Democratic fundraising event at the downtown law firm of Ulmer & Berne, where long-time Cincinnati Democratic activist Don Mooney is a partner.

Richardson told the crowd at the morning event that he is likely to run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008, although he said that, as of now, the Democratic field is made up of “Hillary Clinton and the seven dwarfs.’’

Ohio, which decided the last presidential election, has become a magnet for potential presidential candidates of both parties. Last week, Republican John McCain stumped Ohio with Sen. Mike DeWine, while Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is coming next week to raise money for Hamilton County Commissioner Phil Heimlich.

Wednesday, in his speech and in an interview with the Enquirer, Richardson wore his hat as the chairman of the Democratic Governors Association and touted gubernatorial candidate Ted Strickland’s chances of joining that group.

“Never mind Congress, the governors are becoming the most important players in public policy in this country; Congress can’t seem to get itself together to solve anything,’’ said Richardson, who served with Strickland in the U.S. House in the early 1990s.

Democrats hold governorships in 22 states now. Richardson said that after the Nov. 7 election, he believes at least 27 statehouses will be in Democratic hands.

“I think we can win in New York, Massachusetts, Colorado, Arkansas, Maryland and Ohio,’’ Richardson said. “But Ohio is the big prize.’’

A Democratic sweep in Ohio, Richardson said, “could set the stage for the next presidential election.

Richardson went on to Cleveland Wednesday afternoon for a Strickland campaign event at the Great Lakes Science Center.