Ohio’s Democratic Party is staying neutral in the gubernatorial primary, but not so much in the race for the U. S. Senate.Tim Ryan now has his party’s formal endorsement over his progressive primary opponent Morgan Harper.The Northeast Ohio Democratic Congressman who wants to be Senator was already considered the likely Democratic nominee.He is a known quantity and well-regarded by top establishment leaders in the Democratic Party.On the campaign trail, Ryan hits a lot of places like Fringe Coffeehouse in downtown Hamilton which was packed with his supporters the other day.It is just on the outskirts of the downtown district in Hamilton, one of many Ohio towns that once had manufacturing muscle.As a Democrat with an appeal to blue-collar workers, Ryan once stood on solid Northeast Ohio soil. But former President Donald Trump won his region and the state twice. So, he’s traveling to places like Hamilton to try to recapture a natural constituency — the average worker.”Ninety percent of our generic drugs come from China,” he told the coffeehouse crowd, pausing a beat before launching into a connecting line. “Like, what the hell are we thinkin’? What the hell? Both parties are at fault for this. So, I’m talking to you again as an American. We got to get our act together.”Ryan talked about how lost manufacturing jobs and self-defeating trade policies seem both genuine and strategic.To win, he must appeal to those very voters. Ohio Democrats were once considered reliable.So, he brings what he called a “no-bull” approach.”Trump wasn’t wrong on everything,” he said in an interview. “He was right on China, he was right on renegotiating NAFTA. And I supported those initiatives because they’re in the best interest of the country.”He said the state and the country need to be about shop class, not culture wars. Broadband, not bandwagons. His 48-year-old eyes have fixed on the economic wreckage of the middle class.His tough talk about trade policies with China comes with comparisons.”One percent of our GDP on infrastructure,” he said in his remarks to fellow Democrats who routinely nod or applaud in agreement. “China spends 7-9% of their GDP on infrastructure every single year.”So far, he has been to 80 of the state’s 88 counties.”Look people in the eye, tell ’em I give a damn about ’em and here’s my plan to help,” Ryan said.He has proposed a party re-alignment around pocketbook issues.Ryan seemed to be taking nothing for granted even though most Democrats see him as the frontrunner. His statewide campaign approach would be needed right away if he wins in May because the state has tilted towards the Republicans in statewide elections.With Rob Portman’s seat opened up, the GOP will go all-out to try to hang onto it while the Democrats sense an opportunity to pair Ryan and Senator Sherrod Brown as Ohio’s working-class Capitol Hill tandem.Ryan hopes to make that happen by keeping his message as regular as a basic cup of coffee — a working-class cup of jobs and economy.
Ohio’s Democratic Party is staying neutral in the gubernatorial primary, but not so much in the race for the U. S. Senate.
Tim Ryan now has his party’s formal endorsement over his progressive primary opponent Morgan Harper.
The Northeast Ohio Democratic Congressman who wants to be Senator was already considered the likely Democratic nominee.
He is a known quantity and well-regarded by top establishment leaders in the Democratic Party.
On the campaign trail, Ryan hits a lot of places like Fringe Coffeehouse in downtown Hamilton which was packed with his supporters the other day.
It is just on the outskirts of the downtown district in Hamilton, one of many Ohio towns that once had manufacturing muscle.
As a Democrat with an appeal to blue-collar workers, Ryan once stood on solid Northeast Ohio soil. But former President Donald Trump won his region and the state twice. So, he’s traveling to places like Hamilton to try to recapture a…
Read More: Tim Ryan campaigning for U.S. Senate