ODP Weekly Update: President Obama is Coming to Ohio

7 min readSep 10, 2018

PRESIDENT OBAMA CAMPAIGNING FOR CORDRAY IN CLEVELAND

The Cordray-Sutton Committee announced Wednesday that President Barack Obama will campaign for Rich Cordray, Betty Sutton and Ohio Democrats on Thursday, Sept. 13. President Obama, Rich and Betty will host a rally together in Cleveland in the evening.

President Obama will discuss what is at stake for Ohioans in 2018, highlighting the need for Ohio’s next governor to expand economic opportunity to more Ohioans and protect their families’ access to quality, affordable health care.

This event will be free and open to the public but tickets are required. Members of the public who wish to attend this event are encouraged to sign up to receive ticket information at www.cordrayforohio.com/Obama. Space will be limited.

U.S. SEN. KAMALA HARRIS FEATURED GUEST AT STATE DINNER

The Ohio Democratic Party is welcoming Democratic U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris of California to Columbus on Sunday, Oct. 7, to keynote our annual State Dinner!

“Hard-working Ohioans deserve access to affordable health care, good-paying jobs and a fair shake, and that’s why I’m excited to join Ohio Democrats at their State Dinner in October,” said Sen. Harris. “Democrats like my colleague Sen. Sherrod Brown, Rich Cordray and candidates up and down the ballot are committed to putting people first and creating a brighter future for everyday Ohioans.”

“Ohio is honored to welcome Sen. Kamala Harris back to our state to join our fight to defend Ohioans’ health care, protect our civil rights and make sure everyone has access to a quality, affordable education,” said Sen. Sherrod Brown. “This year’s State Dinner is about putting Ohioans first — that means creating jobs, raising wages and making sure every Ohioan sees their hard work pay off once again.”

“Every issue we care about is on the ballot this November, and with our incredible ticket of candidates, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to lift the hard-working families of our state,” said Ohio Democratic Party Chairman David Pepper. “We are honored to have Sen. Kamala Harris join us as we rally support for the final 30 days of this historic campaign.”

The Ohio Democratic Party’s annual Legacy Dinner will be Sunday, Oct. 7, at 5 p.m. in the Battelle Grand Ballroom at the Columbus Convention Center, 400 N. High St., Columbus, OH 43215. For ticket information, text DINNER to 90975 (standard rates may apply).

CORDRAY SETS SERIES OF THREE DEBATES WITH DEWINE

The campaigns of Rich Cordray and Mike DeWine announced Friday that they have reached agreement on three campaign debates for the fall. Media partners and additional details will be announced in the coming weeks.

“We are excited for Ohioans to see up close why Rich Cordray is the clear choice to lead this state,” said Michael Halle, campaign manager for Richard Cordray. “Rich has always stood up for working people in Ohio, and he is eager to discuss his vision to put money back in the pockets of middle class families and protect Ohioans’ access to quality, affordable health care.”

THE 2018 OHIO WOMEN CANDIDATE CELEBRATION FUNDRAISER

We have an incredible slate of women running for office in Ohio up and down the ticket, and we’re here to support them so that they can advocate for the policies that can help us and our families.

From fighting for equal pay and paid family leave to access to affordable health care, the women running for office in Ohio are some of the most impressive, passionate leaders we have.

Click here to purchase a ticket to the Central Ohio Democratic Women’s Caucus fundraiser and networking session sponsored by Congresswomen Marcy Kaptur, Joyce Beatty and Marcia Fudge, Sunday, Sept. 16 in Columbus.

DISPATCH ENDORSES SPACE FOR OHIO AUDITOR

The Columbus Dispatch endorsed Zack Space for Ohio Auditor in an editorial Sunday highlighting his integrity and leadership.

Editorial endorsement: For state auditor: Zack Space offers integrity, leadership

For state auditor, Ohioans will choose between two small-town attorneys - one a veteran Statehouse insider, skilled in…

go.ohiodems.org

From the Dispatch:

For the breath of fresh air that is desperately needed in state government, The Dispatch endorses Democrat Zack Space.

State Rep. Keith Faber, his Republican opponent, has long been at the center of a Statehouse culture that has put partisanship and political power ahead of the interests of most Ohioans.

A former two-term U.S. Congressman from Dover in Tuscarawas County, Space has re-entered politics after losing his congressional re-election race in the 2010 tea party wave because he hopes to counter what he sees as the destructive influence of money in who gets elected and how policies are set.

“There’s a loss of faith and confidence in government and it is justified,” Space declares. “It’s not fair, honest and rational, and everybody knows it.”

His decision not to accept campaign contributions from corporate political-action committees underscores his point. His funding comes instead mainly from Greek-American organizations (his grandfather, Zacharias, immigrated from Greece during WWI), small-dollar online donors and what he describes as “good-government groups.”

The state auditor doesn’t set state policy, but Space considers the office “uniquely positioned” to address corruption and inform policy-making, largely through performance audits — periodic examinations of state agencies with an eye toward efficiency and effectiveness.

His plan to increase the number of special audits is a good use of the auditor’s powers, for example to assess the full impact on the public of for-profit charter-school operating companies and the controversial embrace of private prisons.

Ohio badly needs someone like Space on the panel that in 2021 will draw new state election-district boundaries and, possibly, Congressional districts. Ohio’s gerrymandered districts, both for the state legislature and Congress, have effectively disenfranchised thousands of voters and favored candidates on the extreme ends of the political spectrum.

Space’s focus on ordinary people over the powerful could help rebuild some faith in the idea that officeholders can put the good of the state before the will of their party.

We urge Ohioans to cast a vote for integrity and ethical leadership by electing Zack Space as state auditor.

CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES RELEASE FIRST ADS

This week saw a number of new ads go up from Congressional candidates in competitive districts, including Betsy Rader in OH-14 and Theresa Gasper in OH-10. Check out the new ads below!

UPCOMING EVENTS