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ICYMI: Ohioans Call Out Jon Husted For Putting Billionaires and Corporations First

October 30, 2026

CHILLICOTHE, OHIO — In case you missed it, Ohioans in Chillicothe rallied against Jon Husted for always putting billionaires and corporations ahead of Ohioans. 

Ohioans called out Jon Husted’s broken promises to help the Pixelle paper mill workers and his record of corruption that has sent costs soaring for families. 

See For Yourself: 

ABC 6 Columbus: Ross County Democrats Say Husted Failed Them

  • Erin Simonek, ABC 6 Columbus: Ross County Democrats say it’s hard to forget what they call Jon Husted’s number one broken promise — the Pixelle Paper Mill. 
  • Dee Collins, former Pixelle Paper Mill employee: He showed up for the rally, the press event, to say that they were saving it, and he never came back. Never. So he didn’t do anything. 
  • Simonek: Former mill employee Deirdra Collins says Ohio can’t afford to retain Husted. 800 jobs gone before Jon Husted could save the plant. 
  • Collins: [Jon Husted] let the employees of Pixelle, and the people of Chillicothe down.

10TV Columbus: Chillicothe Democrats accuse Husted of ‘broken promises’ ahead of Trump visit

  • Hours before President Donald Trump was scheduled to rally Republicans in Chillicothe on Wednesday, local Democrats held their own event, criticizing Republican Sen. Jon Husted over the loss of hundreds of manufacturing jobs and rising costs facing working families.
  • Much of Wednesday’s criticism centered on the closure of the Pixelle Specialty Solutions paper mill, which eliminated more than 800 jobs in a community with deep ties to manufacturing.
  • Deidria “Dee” Collins, a former employee and 20-year union member, said she initially believed workers would have more time to prepare for the closure after Husted visited Chillicothe last year.
  • Collins said she helped spread the news to fellow employees after hearing that their jobs would be extended through December rather than ending in June. But she said that optimism quickly disappeared when workers learned the mill would close sooner than expected.
  • “The people of Chillicothe are sick of empty promises,” Collins said. “The biggest empty promise that we’ve had from Jon Husted is that they were going to save over 800 jobs. They didn’t save those jobs. They didn’t even extend them the six months that they promised them.”
  • Collins said the closure continues to affect families throughout the community, with some former employees traveling farther for work and others still struggling to find jobs.
  • Barry Brown, another former mill worker who spent 38 years in the paper industry, said he believes more could have been done to help employees.
  • Brown said the closure affected workers’ paychecks and long-term financial security. He also raised concerns about the potential development of data centers and their impact on electricity demand.
  • Brown said he and his wife have repeatedly contacted Husted’s office about various issues but have not received responses.
  • “Maybe I didn’t vote for you, but you still are my representative, and you need to represent everybody, not just the corporate elites,” Brown said.
  • Betsy Myers, who described herself as a longtime registered Republican, said she no longer plans to support Republican candidates.
  • “I am a registered Republican. I have voted Republican for 67 years. I will not be voting Republican again,” Myers said.
  • She wants Husted and other members of Congress to exercise greater independence from the president, particularly on issues involving the war and tariffs.
  • “Do your job. That’s what I want to see him do,” Myers said. “Stand up for what is right and what your constituents want.”

NBC4 Columbus: Protests Against the President’s Visit

  • Eric Halperin, NBC4: Democrats had a rally of their own in downtown Chillicothe. Mayor Luke Feeney was there with former Pixelle paper mill employees. They criticize the war in Iran and said Senator Jon Husted has not kept the promises made to those who worked at the paper mill.

Chillicothe Gazette: Chillicothe Mayor claims Jon Husted broke promises to mill workers

  • Just hours before doors opened for President Donald Trump’s midterm rally in Chillicothe, Mayor Luke Feeney held a news conference criticizing U.S. Sen. Jon Husted.
  • When Pixelle Specialty Solutions announced the Chillicothe paper mill would close in 2025, Husted was among Ohio politicians who opposed the shutdown.
  • In April 2025, Husted joined U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine and others at a news conference to support hundreds of workers affected by the closure.
  • Feeney said he believes the political tide is changing as families struggle to find good-paying jobs and afford gas, electricity and groceries.
  • He said politicians in Washington have failed the area despite promising to help when the paper mill shut down last year.
  • “A promise means nothing without action,” Feeney said.
  • Feeney was joined by former paper mill workers who lost their jobs when the plant closed. Deidra Collins and Barry Brown described learning that the mill would close. 
  • Brown said he remembered politicians promising workers more time before the closure but said those promises weren’t fulfilled. Collins said many of her former co-workers are still struggling to find jobs locally.
  • “We cannot afford Jon Husted,” Collins said.

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