Is Lee Fisher Giving Up the Ohio Senate Race?

Democrat Lee Fisher gave $100,000 to the Ohio Democratic Party on Wednesday to support last-minute campaign efforts.

This has led Ohio papers and the National Republican Senate Committee to question if his gift suggests that he is giving up on the race for the Ohio Senate seat.

The latest poll from Quinnipiac University shows that Fisher is behind Republican candidate Rob Portman by 17 points.

"I believe it's important to focus on the ground game," Fisher said to the Columbus Dispatch. "A good ground game helps everyone, including me."

He told the Cleveland Plain Dealer he is not giving up, but gave the money to help his party get the word out to vote. He said getting the vote out would help everyone in the party.

The money was the last of Fisher's dwindling funds, and Ohio senator Sherrod Brown (D) said the gift will help Ohioans "for years to come."

"Few times in the course of a rigorous, frenetic and difficult campaign do candidates step up and do something spectacular -- and unselfish," Brown said. "Lee Fisher just did."

"Running against Karl Rove's rolodex and fundraising machine, and running short on cash, Lee donated his last $100,000 to the Ohio Democratic Party," Brown continued.

President Obama and former President Bill Clinton will be back in Ohio this weekend to campaign for the reelection of Governor Ted Strickland and Democratic members of Congress. Fisher has joined them during several campaign rallies.