Ohioans did not elect state Treasurer Josh Mandel to run seemingly 24-7-365 for another office. But that doesn't seem to faze Mandel, who aims to unseat Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown in 2018, something the Greater Cleveland Republican failed to do in 2012.

That Mandel's political ambitions know no bounds is evidenced by his willingness to push the limits of decency and propriety.

Example: Evidently trying to shore up support on his right flank, Mandel recently assailed the Anti-Defamation League, which fights anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry, as "a partisan witchhunt group" because it criticized the intolerant rhetoric of bloggers Mike Cernovich and Jack Posobiec.

Sad to see @ADL_National become a partisan witchhunt group targeting people for political beliefs. I stand with @Cernovich & @JackPosobiec https://t.co/N3nC78t4CS — Josh Mandel (@JoshMandelOhio) July 20, 2017

That Mandel, who is of Jewish heritage, would so baselessly attack a civil rights organization shows just how low he's willing to go.

Earlier, the Associated Press reported that Mandel's financial disclosures reveal "that every work trip he took last year was at least in some part related to politics, including his [Senate] campaign."

By mingling work and campaigning -- and then using campaign funds to cover the full $75,000-plus in expenses -- Mandel, whose salary was still being paid by Ohio taxpayers, didn't have to disclose what Ohio work he did, if any. And federal law, the AP reported, makes it OK for donors to Mandel's Senate campaign to cover such mingled travel costs.

Then there are the nearly $2 million in Ohio taxpayer-funded TV ads starring Mandel (and Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer). As we editorialized in March -- when we called on Mandel's Senate campaign to reimburse at least half the cost -- the ads looked a lot more like political plugs for Mandel than publicity for investment accounts for disabled people.

Cleveland.com's Jackie Borchardt has since reported that the marketing plans of Mandel's own office indicated "big budget TV ads were not recommended as the best way to promote the (accounts)."

Maybe it's a coincidence, but the General Assembly, run by Mandel's fellow Republicans, has since tightened Ohio Controlling Board oversight of advertising purchased by the offices of statewide elected officials.

Josh Mandel needs to get his priorities straight: He is the Ohio treasurer, not the state's campaigner-in-chief.

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