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A checked claim

With 320,000 net Ohio manufacturing jobs lost, (Sen. Rob) Portman calls NAFTA a 'proven success.'

Ted Strickland · Campaign statement · February 2016 · Race: U.S. Senator from Ohio

About Rob Portman.

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The checks

Each in the checker's own words. This site does not restate another organization's finding in its own voice.

Mostly False

PolitiFact, February 5, 2016 · read the check

Our check against the record

Matches the record

Checked against Manufacturing payroll jobs in Ohio, annual averages 1990-2025 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics series SMS39000003000000001): 1,004,300 in 1994, the year the North American Free Trade Agreement took effect, and 687,500 in 2015, the last complete year before the claim, a fall of 316,800.

The record: State and Area Employment, Hours, and Earnings (CES), series SMS39000003000000001 (Ohio, manufacturing, seasonally adjusted)

Manufacturing payroll jobs, OhioManufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio ran from 1,059.8 thousand jobs in 1990 to 677.5 thousand jobs in 2025, between 621.6 thousand jobs and 1,059.8 thousand jobs across the series; the date of the claim, 2016-02, is marked.02505007501,0001995200020052010201520202025the claim1990: 1,059.8 thousand jobs1991: 1,018.6 thousand jobs1992: 993.4 thousand jobs1993: 981.1 thousand jobs1994: 1,004.3 thousand jobs1995: 1,037.9 thousand jobs1996: 1,030.2 thousand jobs1997: 1,027.8 thousand jobs1998: 1,030.4 thousand jobs1999: 1,028.9 thousand jobs2000: 1,022.3 thousand jobs2001: 953.9 thousand jobs2002: 885.8 thousand jobs2003: 843.8 thousand jobs2004: 823.5 thousand jobs2005: 813.0 thousand jobs2006: 797.6 thousand jobs2007: 772.0 thousand jobs2008: 739.5 thousand jobs2009: 629.9 thousand jobs2010: 621.6 thousand jobs2011: 639.8 thousand jobs2012: 657.1 thousand jobs2013: 663.7 thousand jobs2014: 675.6 thousand jobs2015: 687.5 thousand jobs2016: 686.5 thousand jobs2017: 687.4 thousand jobs2018: 698.9 thousand jobs2019: 700.7 thousand jobs2020: 653.4 thousand jobs2021: 665.4 thousand jobs2022: 683.1 thousand jobs2023: 687.5 thousand jobs2024: 682.9 thousand jobs2025: 677.5 thousand jobsOhio
Manufacturing payroll jobs, OhioManufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio ran from 1,059.8 thousand jobs in 1990 to 677.5 thousand jobs in 2025, between 621.6 thousand jobs and 1,059.8 thousand jobs across the series; the date of the claim, 2016-02, is marked.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: State and Area Employment, Hours, and Earnings (CES), series SMS39000003000000001 (Ohio, manufacturing, seasonally adjusted) · as of 2026-09-19 · Download this chart
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
SeriesWhenjobs (thousands)
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio19901,059.80
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio19911,018.60
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio1992993.4
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio1993981.1
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio19941,004.30
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio19951,037.90
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio19961,030.20
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio19971,027.80
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio19981,030.40
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio19991,028.90
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio20001,022.30
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio2001953.9
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio2002885.8
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio2003843.8
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio2004823.5
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio2005813
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio2006797.6
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio2007772
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio2008739.5
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio2009629.9
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio2010621.6
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio2011639.8
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio2012657.1
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio2013663.7
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio2014675.6
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio2015687.5
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio2016686.5
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio2017687.4
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio2018698.9
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio2019700.7
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio2020653.4
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio2021665.4
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio2022683.1
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio2023687.5
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio2024682.9
Manufacturing payroll jobs, Ohio2025677.5

Context

The claim concerned Ohio manufacturing job losses since NAFTA took effect in 1994 and Portman's public statements characterizing the trade agreement.

Topics: Trade, Economy, 2016 U.S. Senate.

Other claims by Ted Strickland

Every claim filed under Ted Strickland

Sources

  1. 2016-02-05-ted-strickland-nafta-320000-jobs · PolitiFact · 2016-02-05 · accessed 2026-09-19
  2. State and Area Employment, Hours, and Earnings (CES), series SMS39000003000000001 (Ohio, manufacturing, seasonally adjusted) · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · accessed 2026-09-19

Cite and data

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Cracked Buckeye, "Ted Strickland: "With 320,000 net Ohio manufacturing jobs lost, (Sen. Rob) Portman calls NAFTA a 'proven su..."", https://crackedbuckeye.com/claims/2016-02-05-ted-strickland-nafta-320000-jobs/, built 2026-11-03, accessed [date].

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