In 2000, Ohio was viewed as one of the key states to swing an election. The focus has shifted over time, as Michigan, Wisconsin, Florida and other states flit in and out of contention. Ohio drifted off the Democratic radar for a while, but this year, Ohio progressives believe that should and can change.
Last week, the day before the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, I sat down to a Zoom interview with Meryl Neiman, and we discussed what Ohio can look like post-2020.
Is there a reason to be hopeful for Ohio? A recent AP article indicates that responses Republicans are seeing leads to real concerns about their ability to hold onto the state.
Peggy Lehner, a Republican state senator in Ohio, doesn’t sugarcoat what she has seen happen to support for President Donald Trump in her suburban Dayton district.
“It hasn’t ebbed. It’s crashed,” said Lehner, who is not seeking reelection in the district of working-class and white-collar communities the president won comfortably four years ago. “He is really doing poorly among independents.”
What’s making Trump perform so poorly? You might want to thank the work of progressive organizations that are fired up to flip the state. Introduced to me originally as a connector for Indivisible, and I’m grateful for their connection.
You can learn more about OPAL at their public Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/OPALeaders) and volunteer on their Mobilize events page (https://www.mobilize.us/opalmissionvote/).