LIMA — In anticipation of what they expect to be one of the most important elections in recent history, Allen County Democrat Party Chairman Jeff Rex said party members are staying energized for the November election.
The Allen County Democrats held a party fundraiser at Allen County Farm Park on Tuesday. The event included 4th Congressional District seat hopeful Janet Garrett, Frances Strickland, the wife of U.S. Senate hopeful Ted Strickland, and Ohio Supreme Court hopeful John O’Donnell as speakers at the event.
“You usually see a lot of excitement before the primary and then it dies down a little,” Rex said. “The enthusiasm reached a nice pitch before the primary and it has kept on going. Bernie [Sanders] and Hillary [Clinton] created a lot of excitement and that is good for democracy. There is a lot more activity because I think people know that both statewide and nationally, it is a very important election.”
Garrett said she believes that U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, her opposition, has been “asleep at the wheel” when it comes to assisting veterans. She said the middle class is collapsing because of people like Jordan. She said Jordan has voted against minimum wage increases, equal pay for women, and ending violence against women. She also said people needed to come to a common ground concerning owning firearms.
“I am a gun owner,” Garrett said, “but we still need to protect the public safety.”
She said “assault weapons” were not needed, and said she was advocating a ban on them.
“I am tired of the [National Rifle Association] saying we are never going to stop the bad guys from getting guns,” Garrett said. “That is true, but we can make it a lot harder for them to get them.”
She also said Jordan was against a woman’s right to choose. She said he even objected in extreme cases such as incest or rape.
“He is Mr. No, and he has got to go,” Garrett said. “This election is the crossroads of good and evil.”
O’Donnell said he chose to run because of an attack on the three-pronged system of the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government. O’Donnell is a Common Pleas Court judge in Cuyahoga County.
“There is an attack of the independence of the judicial branch,” O’Donnell said. “The other party wants to be able to control the judiciary branch. The U.S. Supreme Court appointment is current example.”
Strickland treated attendees singing a song called the “Middle Class Blues” and playing a guitar. Several verses of the song gathered laughs from the crowd, including “Don’t want Portman and the Middle Class Blues,” “But just like Sampson he will get nowhere, when I get some scissors and cut that hair,” referring to Donald Trump, and “Let’s wrestle that seat away from Jim” Jordan.
‘I think we should stick with a guy who worked his heart out for us,” Strickland said referring to her husband. “People are wanting authenticity. many of you know Ted and you can tell the authentic stories.”
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