Democratic debate: Politics and ice cream in Westerville
A group of 20 or so Democrats under 50 stopped for ice cream at Graeter’s.
By Liz Skalka / The Blade
Tue, 15 Oct 2019 16:57:03 GMT
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WESTERVILLE, Ohio — A group of young Democrats from across the state, including Toledo’s mayor and Lucas County’s treasurer, met with surrogates for presidential campaigns to talk about Ohio issues ahead of tonight’s debate.
After sitting down with the spouses of Mayor Pete Buttigieg, California Sen. Kamala Harris, and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, and others, they held a news conference at a Westerville staple: Graeter’s Ice Cream, where some noshed on cones after the gaggle.
Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz and Lucas County Treasurer Lindsay Webb were joined by Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez, whose message this week echoes what Democrats here have argued for years: Ohio isn’t a red state.
“If you look just at this part of the country, I do believe it’s important to talk about work. Sherrod Brown talks about the ‘dignity of work.’ I think we need to focus on the voters who voted for Obama twice, Sherrod Brown twice, and Donald Trump, and try to understand what motivates those voters,” Mr. Kapszukiewicz said.
“I believe the economic anxiety that exists in this part of the country — Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin — from bad trade deals, globalization, factory closures, that anxiety is real.”
A major contributor to that anxiety now? The UAW-GM strike, now in its 30th day. The impasse affects nearly 1,600 workers at GM’s Toledo Transmission Plant.
The strike hearkens back to another time of economic uncertainly: the aftermath of the recession and the taxpayer-funded auto bailout.
“The auto industry bailout is what sealed the deal [for Barack Obama], so [we have to] remind those candidates to stay grounded on that issue,” Ms. Webb said.
Helping to herd the group at the press gaggle was Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley, who has raised her state and national profile since the August mass shooting in her city.
“Mayor, thank you for your strong response,” Mr. Perez said told her at the ice cream shop.
A normally sleepy suburb was abuzz with pre-debate activity Tuesday afternoon. Democratic supporters for Mr. Biden, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and businessman Andrew Yang waved signs along a main strip near Otterbein University, where the candidates will debate at 8 p.m. Trump supporters wore red MAGA hats and arrived in trucks decked out with pro-Trump messages. Paid signature collectors hawking petitions for Ohio’s nuclear bailout referendum were fanned out across the neighborhood, surrounded by blockers hired by the law’s supporters.
A aerial banner paid for by the Trump campaign circled overhead with a message for Westerville voters.
“Socialism destroys Ohio jobs. Vote Trump.”