ODP Weekly Update: Early Voting Off to Strong Start in OH-12 Special Election
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Early voting for the special election in Ohio’s 12th Congressional District got off to a “surprisingly strong” start this week, with Danny O’Connor holding rallies across the district and aggressively courting voters who have supported Gov. John Kasich.
“People are making homemade yard signs, just doing everything they can to win this race,” O’Connor said. “I think that’s not necessarily just about partisanship. I think it’s about having someone to go to Washington who’s going to get stuff done.”
O’Connor will try to flip a reliably Republican district for the Democrats. Part of his strategy for winning is to get his supporters to vote early.
“There’s just so much enthusiasm about what we’re doing right now,” he said. “After you vote, you can continue to help the campaign by volunteering, going out and knocking on doors, making phone calls, writing postcards.”
O’Connor believes in helping solve the problems Americans have when they sit down at their kitchen table at night. He doesn’t think they sway Democratic or Republican — most Americans want the same thing at the end of the day.
“I grew up in a small town that’s mostly Republicans so I understand that Republicans and Democrats aren’t that different. We all worry about the same things. We want our kids to have a better future. We want to have our shot at the American dream and that’s what I’m going to fight for. That’s what I’m going to represent in Congress.”
The Columbus Dispatch noted that “Franklin County Democrats were impressively quick out of the starting gate last week in the initial days of early voting for the Aug. 7 special election.”
This week Danny told the New York Times that the Democratic Party needs a “new generation of leadership.”
That is a message that resonated with Mindy Hedges, who supports Mr. O’Connor.
“We absolutely need a change,” she said, adding, “I am hopeful that this district is ready for a change as well.”
Meanwhile, state Sen. Troy Balderson’s lifeless campaign continues to be propped up by Beltway Republicans like Speaker Paul Ryan and his super PAC, which is airing an attack ad making claims the Dispatch called “debunked,” and Balderson himself is bending the truth about the GOP tax scam and his legislative record.
Save Workers’ Pensions
Sen. Sherrod Brown is working across the aisle to defend Ohioans’ retirement security, and this week the Joint Select Committee on the Solvency of Multiemployer Pension Plans heard from workers and retirees who stand to lose their retirement security if the federal government does not take action. More than a million Americans — including 60,000 Ohioans — could lose as much as 60 percent of their pensions.
As workers and retirees from across the nation gathered on the Ohio Statehouse lawn to speak out for pension protections, Ohio House Democratic lawmakers spoke out in support of American retirees and urged the Ohio legislature to take up legislation, House Concurrent Resolution 8, that would urge members of Congress to protect coal miner pensions.
“Ohio coal miners sweat, bled, worked and saved their whole lives to make ends meet in their retirement,” said state Rep. Jack Cera, the lead sponsor of the resolution. “The greatest, most prosperous nation in the world shouldn’t be turning its back on people who sacrificed so much to make this country what it is. We should go above and beyond to protect the pensions of workers — they earned it.”
Boosting Small Businesses
State Rep. Kathleen Clyde, Democratic nominee for Ohio Secretary of State, released her plan Tuesday to encourage economic development, job creation and innovation in the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office.
“Encouraging a business-friendly, growth-oriented, job-creating Ohio is a crucial responsibility of this office, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do as Ohio’s next Secretary of State,” said Clyde. “From helping new business owners get off to a strong start to managing business filings and cutting bureaucratic red tape, I will be a tireless and forward-thinking partner to Ohio businesses both large and small.”
Clyde announced her plan during a business roundtable Tuesday in Columbus where she met with small-business owners about how the Secretary of State’s Office can help support their efforts and encourage growth.
New ECOT Shenanigans
This week WCMH-TV confirmed that the now-defunct Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow (ECOT) used Ohioans’ tax dollars to PAY students to attend graduation AND take state tests.
Former ECOT students said they were paid a daily stipend to take multi-day tests. ECOT’s school policies confirmed these claims. This strategy must not have worked, since ECOT had the worst four-year graduation rate in the nation.
And remember those big graduation portraits ECOT used to share around? Well… those kids were paid to be there. ECOT’s policy openly admits, “It is in ECOT’s best interest to ensure that as many students as is reasonably possible participate in ECOT’s graduation ceremonies.”
And guess who’s standing up for ECOT again? Auditor Dave Yost. Yost’s office says it was legal for ECOT to pay students as long as their board and sponsor approved the expense.
Fairness for Farmers
Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge this week introduced the Fair Access for Farmers and Ranchers Act. Many landowners who cannot afford or find legal assistance often pass on without leaving a will, creating heirs’ property. In most states, their multiple descendants become tenants in common. This type of property lacks a clear title and restricts landowner engagement with land improvement programs offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The Fair Access for Farmers and Ranchers Act would require the USDA to provide program eligibility to such landowners.
“The Fair Access for Farmers and Ranchers Act connects producers to available resources they need to maintain and develop their property,” said Fudge. “This act will go a long way in helping our most vulnerable families fulfill their vision for land preservation and development.”
Upcoming Events
- Monday, July 16 — Coffee with Janet Garrett in Marysville
- Tuesday, July 17 — Country Over Party Town Hall with Ken Harbaugh in Willard
- Tuesday, July 17 — Lucas County Democratic Party Business and Professional Women’s Club Meeting
- Tuesday, July 17 — Franklin County Democratic Women’s Club Meeting
- Tuesday, July 17 — Central Ohio Young Black Dems Careers in Color Discussion
- Wednesday, July 18 — Dayton Digital Truth Team Training
- Wednesday, July 18 — Country Over Party Town Hall with Ken Harbaugh in Ontario
- Thursday, July 19 — Lakewood Democratic Club Summer Supper with Betty Sutton
- Thursday, July 19 — Country Over Party Town Hall with Ken Harbaugh in Fredericktown
- Thursday, July 19 — Northeast Ohio Young Black Dems Social Mixer
- Friday, July 20 — Veterans and Military Families for Sherrod Kickoff in Columbus
- Friday, July 20 — Third Friday Democrats Luncheon with Kathleen Clyde in Columbus
- Saturday, July 21 — Coffee with Janet Garrett in Sidney
- Saturday, July 21 — Defiance County Democratic Party Family Picnic
- Saturday, July 21 — Central Ohio Young Black Dems GOTV Event
- Tuesday, July 24 — Licking County Democratic Party Annual Picnic
- Tuesday, July 24 — Perrysburg Area Democratic Club Family Potluck Picnic
- Thursday, July 26 — Coffee with Janet Garrett in Urbana
- Saturday, July 28 — Ohio Young Black Democrats Black Votes Matter Brunch in Cincinnati
- Tuesday, July 31 — Country Over Party Town Hall with Ken Harbaugh in Coshocton
- Tuesday, July 31 — Jazz and Politics Event with Rob Richardson and Judge Melody Stewart
- Thursday, Aug. 2 — Montgomery County Democratic Party Ladies Luncheon
- Saturday, Aug. 4 — Federated Women of Summit County Meeting with Susan Moran Palmer
- Tuesday, Aug. 7 — Judge Melody Stewart Meet and Greet in Lorain County
- Thursday, Aug. 16 — Elyria Democratic Party Hilltop Park Cookout
Podcast: Vets Running for Office
This week’s Ohio Democratic Podcast features two veterans running for the Ohio Statehouse — Lauren Friedman, a Stark County native, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate, a mom of three boys, a wife and a proven leader who is running in Ohio Senate District 29; and Casey Weinstein, a Hudson city councilman, U.S. Air Force Academy graduate, father of two and business owner who is running for Ohio House District 37.
