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Democrats are planning a number of "counter-convention" activities in Cleveland during next week's Republican National Convention, including events on behalf of likely presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and Ohio U.S. Senate nominee Ted Strickland.

(Associated Press file photo)

COLUMBUS, Ohio--Next week's Republican National Convention will also attract a number of Democrats to Cleveland for "counter-convention" activities, according to party and campaign officials.

Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee are planning to hold news conferences, make press calls, and do rapid-response activities from a headquarters in downtown Cleveland, less than a mile from the convention site, according to a Clinton campaign release.

News conferences are scheduled for every day of the RNC, featuring DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, U.S. Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota, economist Austan Goolsbee, and several other members of Congress from around the country, according to Clinton's campaign. A number of Ohio Democrats will be present, too, including Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Ted Strickland and U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles.

Celebrities and pro-Clinton groups are ready to tweet during the RNC with the hashtag #BetterThanThis, according to Clinton's campaign.

Separately, the Ohio Democratic Party and Strickland's campaign say they plan to go after Strickland's GOP opponent, U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, in Cleveland by holding news conferences and deploying Democrats to Portman's slate of activities in Cleveland away from the convention.

For example, the state party said in a release that it intends to send individuals dressed as Supreme Court justices to some of Portman's events as a way to highlight the senator's opposition to holding a confirmation vote this year on Merrick Garland, President Obama's Supreme Court nominee.

Strickland's campaign says it's also preparing to launch online rebuttals to Portman during the convention, including a new website detailing the campaign's activities during the week and digital ads in the Cleveland area targeting specific groups, such as black voters.

In particular, Democrats say they hope to highlight that while Portman has endorsed presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, Ohio Gov. John Kasich has refused to do so.

"The message from the Strickland campaign and Ohio Democrats next week will be this: No matter how much he tries to hide it, Senator Portman is 'All In' For Trump - and if Portman can't stand up to Trump like Governor Kasich has, he won't stand up for Ohio," said Strickland campaign spokesman David Bergstein in a statement.

"Ted Strickland in public? I'll believe it when I see it. Ted Strickland has the worst record of any Senate candidate in America," countered Portman spokesperson Michawn Rich in an email. "No gimmick or cheap stunt can hide the fact that Ted is desperate to distract from his dismal fundraising, his nonexistent ground game, and the fact that more Ohioans dislike him than like him. We look forward to spending time in Cleveland thanking our volunteers, showing off the city, and releasing SEVERAL items detailing Ted's awful record for Cleveland."