News
J.D. Vance wins Ohio’s U.S. Senate race
By: Andy Chow | Karen Kasler | Jo Ingles | Statehouse News Bureau
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — Republican J.D. Vance has won his bid for Ohio’s U.S. Senate seat, defeating Democrat Tim Ryan, according to the AP, in a hotly-contested race that could help determine the balance of power in Congress.
Vance ran a campaign with a message focused on the economy, inflation, U.S. energy development, and immigration. He argued that policies from the Democratic-controlled U.S. House and U.S. Senate fueled the country’s rate of inflation.
“Simultaneously they’ve borrowed and spent trillions of dollars that we just don’t have and that’s thrown fuel on the fire of the inflation problem and at the same time they’ve gone to war against America’s energy sector,” said Vance, who wants to lift regulations on U.S. oil and gas production.
Vance was locked in a fiery Republican primary where most GOP candidates were fighting for the endorsement of former President Donald Trump.
Vance, who was once a self-described “never Trump guy,” reversed course on his previous opposition to Trump and eventually won the former president’s endorsement right before the primary.
Trump visited Ohio and campaigned for Vance three times, once before the primary and twice before the general election. That included a rally on the night before the election.
Ryan gained national attention for running a campaign strategy that did not necessarily fit the mold of a typical Democratic candidate.
Ryan emphasized the need to be tough on trade with China, to secure the southern border with Mexico, and his opposition to President Joe Biden on certain issues.
That included saying that Biden should not run for re-election in 2024.
“I’d like to see a generational change. Mitch McConnell, Donald Trump, the president, everybody,” Ryan said.
He has also been calling on Congress to pass a tax cut for middle class workers in an effort to counter inflation.
“This is just a mess. So, I just say stop all the B-S and just put money in people’s pockets. Ride this thing out. And then eventually the inflation will take care of itself,” said Ryan.
Both Vance and Ryan have been targeting moderate voters within their own parties and have put a lot of time in areas that were once considered Democratic strongholds that have since flipped Republican since Trump’s presidential run in 2016. That included the Mahoning Valley, where Ryan has been a congressman for 20 years.