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Steubenville, OH — Today, Ohio Democratic Party Chair Elizabeth Walters and the Ohio Democratic Party (ODP) hosted a press conference at the Jefferson County Democratic Party with local leaders and local labor leaders. The press event in Steubenville was the latest stop on ODP’s ‘Democrats Deliver’ tour, which will make stops in rural communities across the state this week to outline the ways Democrats are delivering for working families in every corner of Ohio as Republicans oppose these efforts every step of the way.

“We’re here today to talk about all the success we’ve already seen under Democratic leadership, especially in communities like Steubenville that have too long been left behind by Columbus and Washington. While Democrats are laser focused on creating opportunities for working families, GOP politicians in Columbus and Washington remain focused only on helping the wealthy and well-connected,” said Chair Walters.

“We know that infrastructure investments will create good-paying jobs for local workers. Better broadband will better connect us to our loved ones. And a middle-class tax cut will put more money into our local economy to support our small businesses. We’re fighting for voters and working every day to show them that Ohio Democrats are on their side,” said Jefferson County Commissioner Graham.

“We know we’re not out of the woods yet, but thanks to Democratic leadership, Steubenville and rural communities across Ohio are on the road to recovery,” said Jefferson County Democratic Party Vice Chair Eileen Krupinski.

Thanks to Ohio Democrats, the American Rescue Plan is helping rural Ohio to recover from the pandemic and rebuild their economies. Every Ohio Republican in Congress and running for Senate would have voted against the American Rescue Plan, which included $1,400 checks for most Ohioans, a massive tax credit to help working families raise their children, and funding millions of dollars for rural health centers.

And while Ohio Republicans have been too busy defending their political careers to care about rural Ohio, Democrats have been laser-focused on delivering much-needed infrastructure investments to improve our roads, bridges, water pipes, and high-speed internet.

The infrastructure proposal would create jobs for communities across the state like Fremont and includes critical investments for Ohio, including:

• $9.2 billion for federal-aid highway apportioned programs and $483 million for bridge replacement and repairs
• $1.2 billion over five years to improve public transportation options across the state.
• $100 million to help provide broadband coverage across the state, which would improve access to the at least 259,000 Ohioans who currently lack it.

And Ohio Democrats will continue fighting like hell for rural communities, pursuing economic policies that put Ohio workers first, even as Republicans leave them behind.

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Columbus, OH — Today, Ohio Democratic Party Chair Elizabeth Walters released the following statement ahead of tomorrow’s 20th anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001.

“Twenty years ago, our country experienced an unspeakable tragedy. As we mark the anniversary of September 11th, we honor the memories of all those we lost, including the brave first responders who rushed into — not away from — danger that day. We’re holding all those who are hurting in our hearts as we remember that dark day,” said Chair Walters.

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Athens, OH — Today, Ohio Democratic Party Chair Elizabeth Walters and the Ohio Democratic Party (ODP) hosted a press conference at Armory Park in Athens with local leaders, including Athens City Councilmember Sarah Grace and President Ted Linscott of the Southeastern Ohio AFL-CIO. The press event in Athens was the latest stop on ODP’s ‘Democrats Deliver’ tour, which will make stops in rural communities across the state this week to outline the ways Democrats are delivering for working families in every corner of Ohio as Republicans oppose these efforts every step of the way.

“We’re here today to talk about all the success we’ve already seen under Democratic leadership, especially in communities like Athens that have too long been left behind by Columbus and Washington. While Democrats are laser focused on creating opportunities for working families, GOP politicians in Columbus and Washington remain focused only on helping the wealthy and well-connected,” said Chair Walters.

“Thanks to Democratic leadership, we’ve been able to make substantial progress for working families right here in our community, and it’s important for voters to hear about them: from vaccines to the child tax credit to infrastructure investments, Ohio is on the road to recovery,” said Councilmember Grace.

“Earlier this month, the Senate voted to pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act with the support of President Biden and Senator Sherrod Brown, which included $9.2 billion for roads and $483 million for bridge replacement and repairs. That’s an historic investment in not only Ohio’s roads and bridges, but in good-paying jobs that will help our workers compete with the rest of the world. It’s past time for us to make upgrades to our roads, bridges, and broadband internet and it’s past time for Republicans to stop playing politics with the well-being of working families across our state and support this bill,” said President Linscott.

Thanks to Ohio Democrats, the American Rescue Plan is helping rural Ohio to recover from the pandemic and rebuild their economies. Every Ohio Republican in Congress and running for Senate would have voted against the American Rescue Plan, which included $1,400 checks for most Ohioans, a massive tax credit to help working families raise their children, and funding millions of dollars for rural health centers.

And while Ohio Republicans have been too busy defending their political careers to care about rural Ohio, Democrats have been laser-focused on delivering much-needed infrastructure investments to improve our roads, bridges, water pipes, and high-speed internet.

The infrastructure proposal would create jobs for communities across the state like Fremont and includes critical investments for Ohio, including:

• $9.2 billion for federal-aid highway apportioned programs and $483 million for bridge replacement and repairs
• $1.2 billion over five years to improve public transportation options across the state.
• $100 million to help provide broadband coverage across the state, which would improve access to the at least 259,000 Ohioans who currently lack it.

And Ohio Democrats will continue fighting like hell for rural communities, pursuing economic policies that put Ohio workers first, even as Republicans leave them behind.

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Columbus, OH — As summer comes to a close, we’re looking back at how Ohio’s Republican Senate candidates spent their time making this primary even nastier, more chaotic, and more expensive — and making conservatives “deeply worried” about the prospects of Republicans losing this seat. 

“GOP Senate candidates spent this summer injecting even more nasty personal attacks, more chaos, and more money into this out-of-control primary, all at the expense of Ohio voters and the issues they care about. No matter which millionaire politician emerges from this crowded primary field, the damage from these messy summer months will last well into the general election,” said Michael Beyer, spokesperson for the Ohio Democratic Party. 

NASTY: 

• Mandel regularly took swipes at Vance over social media, sharing clips where Mandel claimed Vance was agreeing with Obama and comparing him to anti-Trump former Governor John Kasich. Mandel also tried to tie Timken to Kasich.
• Timken supporters wrote a letter to support her, calling her a “Trump Champion” and attacking Vance, Mandel, and others for their insufficient support for the former president.
• Vance was repeatedly attacked by way of anonymous text messages for being a “never Trumper” before he had even announced his candidacy.
• The rivalry between Vance and Mandel has heated up, with Mandel accusing Vance of taking the money from his non-profit and using it for his political campaign.

CHAOTIC: 

• Vance’s entrance into the race added more chaos to an already unwieldy and crowded primary. 
• Leading candidates continued to trade blows over their history with and allegiance to Donald Trump, and showed no signs of slowing down. 
• Timken came under fire for highlighting a photo of her and Trump under her website’s “endorsements” page. 
• Vance deleted his tweets that were critical of Trump in an attempt to shield himself against criticism.

EXPENSIVE: 

• California tech billionaire Peter Thiel dumped $10 million into a super PAC supporting Vance, who entered the race this summer. Since his entrance into the race, he’s been fundraising in the ritzy Hamptons currying favor from other millionaires.  
• The packed GOP field revealed their “eye-popping” financial disclosures that showed their vast wealth and highlighted there are significant resources for many candidates still to spend. 
• Gibbons is already spending $10 million on TV and radio and has loaned millions of dollars to his campaign. Moreno has argued he raised the most money and is ready to spend it on this costly primary.  
• At least one more wealthy Republican — State Senator Matt Dolan — is expected to enter the race, in a crowded primary with many well-funded candidates sure to make the race more expensive. 

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Columbus, OH — Today, Ohio Democratic Party Chair Elizabeth Walters blasted state legislative ‘maps’ proposed by Ohio Republicans that clearly fly in the face of the Ohio Constitution and what Ohio voters called for twice when they voted for fair districts and fair representation. The GOP maps are even more gerrymandered than the 2011 map, taking our state even further backward in the fight for issues that Ohioans care about, from education to healthcare to the economy. 

Republicans, when presenting their maps, went so far as to admit they didn’t take racial demographics or election results into account, making clear that Republicans care about nothing other than protecting their own political futures. 

“​​The so-called ‘maps’ proposed by the Ohio GOP are a betrayal of Ohio voters and the issues that they care about. These maps are not only unacceptable, they’re offensive to Ohioans who voted overwhelmingly twice for fair representation. Ohioans are tired of politicians choosing their voters rather than the other way around. Ohio Democrats will stand with Ohioans in opposing these sham maps and fighting Republican efforts to once again silence the voices of Ohio voters,” said Chair Walters.  

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