I grew up in Northeast Ohio and lived there until I went to college. I was one-year-old when Ryan was first elected to represent the 17th congressional district of Ohio (it became the 13th congressional district following redistricting in 2013). I started paying attention to politics in 2016 when Donald Trump was elected president. When 2020 came, I looked at the world around me with a refreshed, educated lens and actually understood what was going on.
I observed in real time the aforementioned complexity of Ohio politics just by taking a look around my neighborhood. One house had no less than five “Biden-Harris” signs lining the yard. “Trump-Pence” signs stood in the yards of other neighbors. But there were enough signs in support of Ryan’s 10th term as a U.S. House Representative. After the chaos of Trump’s presidency and the collective desire for a solution to end the pandemic, the 13th district Ohioans felt confident that their tried and true moderate Democratic representative was still the best person to represent them.
Then Jan. 6, 2021, happened. Any remaining sense of bipartisanship was set on fire. When the House voted on having an independent commission to investigate the events of Jan. 6 and a majority of Republican representatives voted against it, Ryan called out the lack of bipartisanship, the same thing that fueled the insurrection of the Capitol. Still, he thanked the Republican representatives that voted in its favor. A simple act of politeness coupled with a stern denouncement of what he deemed as wrong made for a strong response. This is the type of person Ohioans need representing them in the Senate.
If you’ve seen any of Ryan’s campaign materials, you’re likely familiar with those that say “Workers First.” Ryan’s statement is not an empty promise. When House Republicans didn’t support a bill that would protect American workers’ right to organize in March 2021, Ryan spoke on the House floor about the importance of updating labor laws.
“Heaven forbid we pass something that is going to help the damn workers in the United States of America,” Ryan said. “Heaven forbid we tilt the balance that has been going in the wrong direction for 50 years.”
Ryan is true to his word in his support of American workers, part of why he has become such an appealing candidate to Republican voters who are uncertain about Vance. Lack of political experience aside, Vance has built his senatorial campaign by riding the golf shirts of Trump. The catch is before the former president’s endorsement gave him two political legs to stand on, Vance used to be anti-Trump, even calling him “America’s Hitler” in 2016.
Anyone can change their mind, but borderline mimicry is where some eyebrows begin to raise. Vance accused President Joe Biden of getting conservatives addicted to fentanyl to effectively wipe them out as punishment for not voting for him. He also encouraged Trump to act as a dictator if he wins the presidency in 2024. These are similar sentiments to the extremist views of many Trump supporters as well as Trump himself (refer back to: Jan. 6, 2021).
Additionally, as explained by Silas House, the Appalachian Studies chair at Berea College in Kentucky, Vance generalized his experience in Appalachia to fit his narrative. By framing it as a place of sadness and addiction that one must escape, he utilized a harmful stereotype that Appalachians aim to distance from while also ignoring the happiness of Appalachia.
The people of Ohio-especially those who are from or currently living in Appalachia–deserve better than Vance. Ryan will provide a moderate perspective essential to making political progress while sticking to morals as he has always shown he will uphold.
Tate Raub is a junior studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk more about it? Let Tate know by tweeting her @tatertot1310.