Ohio Senate Preview
Today’s Ohio Senate preview was written by contributor, Tess Overholser, along with our newsletter team.
Ohio Senate Preview
Following Republican Senator Rob Portman’s announcement that he won’t be seeking a third term, the race for a new Ohio U.S. senator has turned out to be incredibly competitive, as it plays a role in determining which party takes control of the Senate this November. Both candidates hail from rust-belt towns, with hopes to win over the working class.
The Candidates:
J.D. Vance
Vance is a self-proclaimed “conservative outsider” known for authoring his best-selling memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, which was later turned into a Netflix film. He is a marine veteran, in addition to being a venture capitalist with a background in law and tech. His book also made him a frequent conservative commentator during the 2016 elections.
Following a Trump endorsement, he narrowly won the Republican nomination in a crowded race. The Vance campaign’s primary issues are supporting domestic manufacturing and businesses, combating inflation, and immigration. At 38 years old, Vance would be one the younger end of the Republican U.S. Senate members.
Tim Ryan
Unlike his opponent, Ryan has served as an Ohio U.S. representative since 2013 and had a relatively easy path to the Democratic nomination for the senate seat. He has a blue-collar image, and his campaign targets workers and families.
His campaign attempts to appeal to the moderate vote, rather than merely aligning with the DNC, but does side with them on issues such as abortion. Ryan advocates for a middle-class tax cut, in addition to supporting natural gas, while advocating for greener solutions that could bring jobs to Ohio. Other significant issues include healthcare and national security.
What do the polls say?
The Real Clear Politics average indicates that Vance holds a 2.3-point lead over Ryan. Still, the race is incredibly close, with a margin of error that will allow undecided and cross-over voters to determine the vote. Ryan has polled closer to Vance than previously predicted, increasing the stakes in both campaigns leading up to early voting.
Impact
Republicans must win every race they can if they want to take the Senate in November. Flipping the seat would give Democrats an edge in possibly holding the majority. Although the Ohio race isn’t quite as prevalent as Georgia or Pennsylvania, both parties are doing everything they can to keep their odds up.
Coming this week:
Aside from the rapidly approaching midterms, there’s another key political matter to pay attention to this week.
Tomorrow morning, the Supreme court will hear oral arguments for a pair of massive affirmative action cases. Suits brought by Students for Fair Admissions against UNC and Harvard are challenging race-based admissions policies at the two Universities, and the court’s decision could overturn yet another precedent, outlawing or altering race-conscious admissions processes.
Tune in to oral arguments Monday morning at 10 AM EST, and be sure to check back on Tuesday for our immediate reactions and thoughts on the arguments.
Get out and vote!
Early voting and mail-in voting are already taking place nationwide. Be sure to get your ballots in before November 8! The right to vote is something that not everyone worldwide gets to enjoy, be sure that your voice is heard.