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Toledo Blade Editorial Board: Vivek Ramaswamy Needs to Explain Why Ohioans Are Falling Behind After Years of Total Republican Control

Columbus, Ohio- The Toledo Blade editorial board called out Vivek Ramaswamy for claiming Ohioans are falling behind in a new ad even as his own party has held total control in Columbus for well over a decade. 

“Vivek Ramaswamy is trying to rewrite the history of how he and his allies stuck Ohio families with a massive affordability crisis – just like he’s trying to rewrite his well-documented calls to defund public schools and public safety and shutter Ohio colleges,” said Ohio Democratic Party spokeswoman Katie Seewer. “Ohioans are ready for change, not a billionaire who calls our workers lazy, said Medicaid and Medicare were a mistake, and moved his business to Texas.”

READ MORE: Editorial: Who should we blame? 

  • Apoorva Ramaswamy has shocking news in the opening commercial for her husband Vivek’s campaign for governor: “Ohio families are working hard but falling behind.”
  • The ad, though, sends a weird message. Republicans have been in 100 percent control of state government since 2011. If Ohioans are falling behind, how is that not laid at the GOP doorstep?
  • Given Republican dominance of state politics since 1991 we’d like to hear much more from Mr. Ramaswamy on who to blame for Ohioans “falling behind” as well as his wife’s concerns about safety and great schools. One would think that after 15 years of leadership, the party in power wouldn’t be saying people are “falling behind.”
  • Mr. Ramaswamy has backpedaled away from his claim that Ohio has too many universities and that they should be consolidated to help pay for the tax cuts he says will spark economic revival.
  • Whether the state universities are consolidated or just remain under-funded, they are highly likely to continue charging higher tuition than the national average, thus adding to the perception the Ramaswamy campaign commercial identifies as “falling behind.”
  • It would behoove Mr. Ramaswamy to explain why we’re still falling behind after all that tax-cutting. He should also explain how eliminating $9.8 billion in income tax revenue will keep us from falling further behind.
  • Mr. Ramaswamy began his campaign for governor promising to eliminate property taxes. Pressed to explain where he would cut $30 billion from the state budget, Mr. Ramaswamy changed course on his property tax promises.
  • Mr. Ramaswamy’s gauzy TV ad is sure to trigger some doubt among Ohio voters who are well aware of who has had veto-proof control of the government during the period in which they are “falling behind.”

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Ohio Democratic Party Announces Hires of Executive Director, Communications Director, and Political Director

COLUMBUS, OHIO – Today, the Ohio Democratic Party announced that it has brought on Cade Leebron to spearhead an expansive operation as Executive Director ahead of historic elections in Ohio, Marisa Nahem to lead communications efforts as Communications Director, and Jeremy Blake to lead the political department as Political Director.

“At a critical time in our state and country, the Ohio Democratic Party is excited to welcome Cade, Marisa, and Jeremy to the team as we build an organization that is ready to support a diverse array of candidates up and down the ballot,” said Ohio Democratic Party Chair Kathleen Clyde. “Cade, Marisa, and Jeremy’s experience in key battleground states and in leadership roles in red, blue, and purple communities across the state and throughout the country will be critical as we support Ohio Democrats and work to elect leaders who will protect Ohioans’ freedoms, keep our communities safe, and lower the sky-high costs that hardworking families face, including the cost of housing, healthcare, groceries, and energy.”

“I have seen firsthand the ways in which President Trump and Ohio Republicans are hurting young people across our state with their dangerous and out-of-touch agenda that puts billionaires and corporate special interests first while Ohioans foot the bill, and am determined to help lead a robust Ohio Democratic Party that will support Ohio Democrats as they fight to lower costs and protect our communities,” said Cade Leebron. “When Democrats show up, organize, and fight for a better future, we can win anywhere, and I look forward to Ohioans sending that message loud and clear in November.”

“It’s a privilege to come home to Ohio and work to elect Democrats up and down the ballot who will lower costs for hardworking Ohioans and ensure that our communities are able to grow and thrive,” said Marisa Nahem. “I look forward to joining an Ohio Democratic Party team that is ready to fire on all cylinders as we meet Ohioans of all political stripes in every corner of our state where they are, and work to elect leaders that will fight for Ohio families and stand up against Republicans’ actions that are raising costs and hurting our communities.”

“Ohioans want leaders who will put them first and who will work every day to create a brighter future in our state. Ohioans are not only ready to make that clear on election day, they’re also showing it right now, getting involved in their communities, volunteering, and even running for office themselves,” said Jeremy Blake. “With so much at stake in this election, I’m thrilled to join the Ohio Democratic Party’s team as we work to support Democratic leaders up and down the ballot who will protect Ohioans’ freedoms and ensure that our communities are places where everyone can be successful.”

Leebron – a graduate of The Ohio State University – has been involved in campaigns in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York, including most recently managing U.S. Rep. Pat Ryan’s successful frontline reelection in New York’s 18th Congressional District, expanding his win margin from 1.3% in 2022 to 14.3% in 2024. She comes to the Ohio Democratic Party from the Leaders on the Fast Track (LOFT) Fellowship in Washington, D.C., and previously worked on Kathleen Clyde’s 2018 Secretary of State campaign.

Nahem – an Ohio native and graduate of The Ohio State University – has worked on campaigns at every level across the country, including in Pennsylvania, Iowa, and New Hampshire, and was the New Hampshire Communications Director for the Harris-Walz campaign. She comes to the Ohio Democratic Party after serving most recently as the Deputy Communications Director for a U.S. Senator from New England.

Blake – an Ohio native and graduate of Denison University – brings to the Ohio Democratic Party his extensive experience throughout Ohio in nonprofits, government, and political campaigns. He was a legislative staff member at the Ohio Statehouse, provided leadership as an elected school board president, and was later elected to serve two terms on a city council. He also was the Inaugural Chair of the Ohio Democratic Party Pride Caucus, and currently serves on the City of Columbus Community Relations Commission. Blake is deeply involved in the community as a member of various organizations such as the Harmony Project community chorus.

Press inquiries pertaining to the Ohio Democratic Party can be directed to [email protected]. 

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Ohioans Kick Off Husted’s Real World Tour by Calling Out His Key Role in FirstEnergy Corruption Scandal

Husted remained at the center of the criminal trial in the largest bribery scandal in Ohio history

Ohio families paying$663 more a year on utility bills thanks to Husted

COLUMBUS, OHIO — Today, Ohioans gathered outside the Athletic Club of Columbus for the first stop of Husted’s Real World Tour, calling out Jon Husted for his key role in the FirstEnergy bribery scheme that delivered a billion dollar bailout to utilities and contributed to electricity costs for Ohioans increasing by $663 a year.

The tour comes after Husted claimed that struggling Ohioans are “not very experienced at navigating the real world.” At a time when Ohio families are struggling with skyrocketing health care, gas, grocery, and utility bills, Husted keeps voting to make everything more expensive. 

A dinner between Jon Husted and the indicted FirstEnergy executives at the Athletic Club was a focal point of the FirstEnergy criminal corruption trial. And when Husted was forced to take the stand in the trial, he deemed the elite social club, which reportedly has a $7,500 initiation fee, “kind of a normal restaurant” — another reminder of how out of touch he is with the real world Ohioans live in.

“Jon Husted has been a long time friend of FirstEnergy and it has cost Ohioans millions. A recent analysis suggests that Ohioans’ electric bills have risen $663 a year since Jon Husted became the Lt. Governor and HB 6 became law,” said Senator Kent Smith, Ranking Member of the Senate Energy Committee. “That should surprise no one because Jon Husted has been working for the utility interests and not protecting the pocketbooks of everyday Ohioans. Ohioans are working harder than ever to make ends meet and they’re being screwed by politicians like Jon Husted who put billionaires and corporations before us.”

“If there’s anyone who is out of touch with the real world, it’s Jon Husted. As a retired nonprofit social services professional for over 40 years here in Ohio, I have witnessed first hand how working Ohioans are finding it harder than ever to make ends meet, especially in recent years. There is nothing more ‘real’ than working hard every day and still having to choose between food and rent,” said Sue Hanson, a retired Ohioan. “And because of Jon Husted’s corruption, our utility bills have skyrocketed. It’s time to hold Husted accountable this November.”

Jon Husted has a long trend of blaming hardworking Ohioans struggling to make ends meet:

  • Husted has dismissed concerns from struggling Ohioans, claiming that he has helped lower grocery and gas prices and that affordability problems do not exist.
  • Husted revealed he has no solutions to actually lower prices, suggesting that Ohioans should just “earn more” money to make ends meet.
  • Husted insulted Ohioans working harder than ever, complaining that their “work ethic is broken.”
  • Husted defended his friends and donors, complaining about people saying “rich people [are] selfish” while attempting to justify his record of delivering tax breaks to the rich.

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Vivek Ramaswamy Doubles Down on Extreme Proposal to Shut Down Ohio Colleges, Raise Costs for Working Families

Columbus, Ohio- Vivek Ramaswamy is doubling down on his extreme, costly proposal to shut down Ohio colleges and universities in order to fund his tax on working families. Ramaswamy’s insistence on his proposal to shut down colleges and universities comes just after his campaign desperately attempted to rewrite history by telling Ohioans not to believe what they saw on his own campaign social media. 

But Ramaswamy made himself clear. He wants to shut down colleges and universities in Ohio, which would rip educational opportunities away from students, endanger access to health care, and threaten small businesses and entire economies in small towns across Ohio. It’s more of the same from the out of touch billionaire who has called Medicaid and Medicare “mistakes,” moved his business to Texas, and called Ohio workers “lazy.”   

“Ramaswamy’s attempt to lie to Ohioans about a campaign proposal posted on his own social media failed, so instead he’s doubling down on raising costs and taking away opportunities from students across our state,” said Ohio Democratic Party spokeswoman Katie Seewer. “Ohioans want a governor who will lower costs and fight for working families, not a Harvard and Yale graduate who probably wrote this defense of his toxic plan to close Ohio colleges and universities from a cushy seat in the cabin of his private jet.” 

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ICYMI: Opinion: “View from a Medina, Ohio kitchen table: The Trump economy has created an affordability crisis”

COLUMBUS – Ohioans across the state are sounding the alarm on the stark economic reality that families are facing because of Donald Trump and Ohio Republicans. In a new opinion piece in the Ohio Capital Journal, a retired high school English teacher in Medina is slamming Trump and Ohio Republicans for failing to recognize “the reality countless Americans like me and so many others are experiencing,” and for pushing policies, like tariffs, that further raise costs, instead of proposing plans to actually lower costs and support Ohioans.

In case you missed it, check out this powerful read about the worry that Ohioans across our state are feeling – and the sad acknowledgement that for a President who spends more time “rubbing elbows with wealthy campaign contributors at Mar-a-Lago,” “we don’t seem to be his priority.”

Ohio Capital Journal: Opinion: View from a Medina, Ohio kitchen table: The Trump economy has created an affordability crisis

As a retired Ohio high school English teacher, I spent fourteen years grading essays. I know what a genuine “A” looks like. It isn’t earned with a loud voice or by writing in ALL CAPS; it requires proof, consistency, and a firm grasp of the facts.

In his State of the Union address last month, President Trump graded his own work, painting a portrait of America that felt more like fiction than a report card.

He echoed similar boasts to his “A+++++” grade for the economy, claims that he has “won affordability,” and that costs are “plummeting.”

But from my kitchen table in Medina, those grades look like they were handed out before the work was even turned in.

They don’t reflect the reality countless Americans like me and so many others are experiencing.

I’m a grandmother, a caregiver and an American who’s paying attention. I’m also the primary shopper and cook for my household.

When the president speaks of a booming economy, I find myself asking: “Booming for who?”

The only thing I feel is booming are the prices I’m paying at the grocery store, the increasing utility costs, and a deep concern about whether older Americans have saved enough to live a comfortable retirement after a lifetime of hard work.

Our costs are soaring thanks in large part to the president’s tariffs, which he enacted with the support of my congressman, Ohio Republican U.S. Rep. Max Miller.

The president claims victory over inflation, but the reality for Ohio families is a constant exercise in stretching the dollar.

[…]

When the president and his allies use words like “won” and “fixed,” they’re dismissing the struggle of the parents I see in Medina working two jobs just to keep a roof over their kids’ heads.

They’re ignoring the seniors forced to choose between their prescription co-pays and a full tank of gas.

And they’re ignoring the millions of young people across this country who see homeownership as a luxury they’ll never enjoy as they grapple with the realities of keeping a monthly budget.

[…]

If the economy is truly deserving of a “plus-plus-plus” grade, why do so many Americans feel like we’re falling further and further behind?

[…]

I don’t want a cheerleader-in-chief; I want a president who can look at my grocery receipt and say, “I see this, and I know we have more work to do.”

But that’s not what we heard from him. He presented no plans to cut my grocery bill. He ignored the fact that if his 15% global tariff is made permanent, it will cost families like mine $1,300 a year on average, even as his trade war fails to deliver the manufacturing renaissance we were promised.

[…]

If the president spent more time in Ohio and less time rubbing elbows with wealthy campaign contributors at Mar-a-Lago, he might appreciate just how much harder it’s become for everyday Americans to get by.

Maybe he’d understand why so many of us worry about the future our grandchildren will inherit. 

But we don’t seem to be his priority.

Instead, he’s focused on building ballrooms, buying Greenland, and starting new wars.

If you were the parent of a kid failing in school and watched them spend all their free time going to the movies, sporting events, or playing video games, you’d probably demand a change in their study habits.

If the president and his allies refuse to do their homework, Americans should deliver a firm message about our experiences and expectations. I know I will.

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