Representative Kathleen Clyde is running for Ohio Secretary of State. She is a committed and articulate advocate for voting rights and reducing the effects of partisan gerrymandering. She is running against a longtime Republican Senator Frank LaRose, who trumpets his support for Donald Trump on his website (notwithstanding the fact that he was trashed by Sean Spicer for not being supportive enough. In any event, LaRose and the Republican Party are attacking Representative Clyde for accepting $50 from a Stark County Official who was accused of domestic violence 22 years ago.
A small donor to secretary of state candidate Kathleen Clyde on Wednesday said it’s “beyond the pale” for the state Republican Party because he was convicted of domestic violence back in 1995.
The state GOP on Tuesday attacked Clyde, saying a county official who co-hosted a fundraiser for her was convicted of domestic violence.
Party officials declined, however, to criticize President Donald Trump, who has boasted on tape about grabbing women’s genitalia and who has been accused by numerous women of sexual assault.
The donor the Republican Party cited in its attack on Clyde was Ohio Stark County Clerk of Courts Louis P. Giavasis, who said that he makes no excuses for himself, but it’s unfair to use what he did to attack Clyde, who he said had no idea of his conviction.
Not necessarily the most surprising attack from the beat-em-up party, but despicable nonetheless.
Representative Clyde is one of the best hopes that the Democrats have in Ohio — she is well spoken, under 40, super fun and super tall, and passionate about election reforms. She is seeking office in order to effect those reforms. Senator LaRose is running for statewide office as Ohio Secretary of State in the hopes that he can muster a gubenatorial run, just as others — Ken Blackwell and Bob Taft — before him have done.
Rep. Clyde deserves the support of our community.