by J.D. Davidson
Democratic control of the U.S. Senate and Republican control of at least one Ohio U.S. Senate seat remains a tossup as the Nov. 8 general election creeps closer.
The most recent Suffolk University and USA Today poll shows Democrat Tim Ryan and Republican J.D. Vance in a dead heat, keeping with poll numbers from a variety of organizations over the past month.
That poll shows Vance, the Hillbilly Elegy author, with a 47% to 45% lead over Ryan, the northeast Ohio U.S. House representative since 2003. The margin of error is 4.4%. Polls from Baldwin Wallace University, Marist College, Emerson College and Civiqs have shown similar results since the end of May.
The two are running to replace outgoing Republican Sen. Rob Portman, who was first elected in 2010.
Ryan, who ran for president in 2020 before withdrawing in late October 2019, has campaign around the state focusing on revitalizing manufacturing, developing clean energy jobs and rebuilding the middle class, according to Ballotpedia.
According to Ryan’s campaign website, he has taken on both parties opposing what he calls harmful trade policies that allow companies to ship jobs overseas. He trumpets the recently passed federal infrastructure bill as something that will put thousands of Ohioans to work. He also introduced federal legislation, “Build America, Buy America,” that would require taxpayer funded projects use American-made materials.
Ryan, who has distanced himself from President Joe Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi while on the campaign trail, has been endorsed by more than 30 unions, the state and federal teachers unions. He also has been endorsed by current Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, along with Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo, R-Upper Arlington.
Vance, endorsed by former President Donald Trump, blames the Biden administration for what he calls on his campaign website runaway inflation and supports use of more natural gas energy as a way toward energy independence.
Vance also opposes bad trade deals and believes Biden’s immigration policies have created a crisis.
Vance has been endorsed by Portman and Gov. Mike DeWine. He’s also been endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, the Ohio National Federation of Independent Businesses and the NRA, among other groups.
Neither candidate responded to Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection Survey, which asks all federal, state and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels.
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An Ohio native, J.D. Davidson is a veteran journalist with more than 30 years of experience in newspapers in Ohio, Georgia, Alabama and Texas. He has served as a reporter, editor, managing editor and publisher. Davidson is a regional editor for The Center Square.
Photo “JD Vance” by JD Vance. Photo “Tim Ryan” by Congressman Tim Ryan. Background Photo “U.S. Capitol” by Quick PS.
