(The Guardian) Is Ohio’s Senate seat within the reach of Democrats? Tim Ryan would like you to think so, but he’s complained that the party’s leaders have written off his campaign, while Republicans are pouring money into the coffers of his Republican opponent JD Vance.
NBC News reports that Ryan is bleeding cash while Vance is flush, leading the Democratic congressman to wonder if the national party hasn’t given up on him too soon. “We’re in Ohio and we got a candidate running around with a tinfoil hat on. We’re out here fighting on our own. I mean, it’s David against Goliath,” Ryan said in an interview.
An unnamed Democratic operative went further, telling NBC, “it’s malpractice” when it comes to the party’s lack of mobilization for Ryan’s campaign.
Here’s more from the report: After losing two presidential campaigns and a race for governor in the state since 2016, national Democrats are wary about spending in Ohio, once a quintessential battleground. Republicans are treating it as a state they can’t afford to lose.
Trump’s super PAC was the latest group to jump into the race, reserving more than $1 million in ads last week. The barrage includes a spot attacking Ryan, who has portrayed himself as a moderate, as a party-line voter beholden to Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer. But even the Schumer-aligned Senate Majority PAC, a major presence in other states key to determining partisan control of the chamber, has been largely absent from Ohio.
Through Monday, Republicans had spent or reserved at least $37.9 million worth of advertising on the general election, according to AdImpact, an ad tracking firm. Only $3.7 million of that had come directly from Vance’s campaign, with another $1.6 million split between the campaign and the National Republican Senatorial Committee through coordinated advertising.
On the Democratic side, Ryan’s campaign had accounted for $24 million of the more than $29 million spent or reserved through Election Day and splitting another $835,000 with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Other outside Democratic groups had committed only $4.5 million to the race — about 14% of what the GOP groups are spending.
Ryan said the lack of national spending hasn’t frustrated him and that Vance, because of the largesse behind him, would owe more favors if he wins. “The optics of it,” Ryan added, “are in my favor.”
Others are more willing to raise complaints on Ryan’s behalf.
When campaign manager Dave Chase tweeted about tight polling numbers last week, he noted how Ryan “has defended his lead with no outside spending from national Dem groups.”
NBC News reports that Ryan is bleeding cash while Vance is flush, leading the Democratic congressman to wonder if the national party hasn’t given up on him too soon. “We’re in Ohio and we got a candidate running around with a tinfoil hat on. We’re out here fighting on our own. I mean, it’s David against Goliath,” Ryan said in an interview.
An unnamed Democratic operative went further, telling NBC, “it’s malpractice” when it comes to the party’s lack of mobilization for Ryan’s campaign.
Here’s more from the report: After losing two presidential campaigns and a race for governor in the state since 2016, national Democrats are wary about spending in Ohio, once a quintessential battleground. Republicans are treating it as a state they can’t afford to lose.
Trump’s super PAC was the latest group to jump into the race, reserving more than $1 million in ads last week. The barrage includes a spot attacking Ryan, who has portrayed himself as a moderate, as a party-line voter beholden to Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer. But even the Schumer-aligned Senate Majority PAC, a major presence in other states key to determining partisan control of the chamber, has been largely absent from Ohio.
Through Monday, Republicans had spent or reserved at least $37.9 million worth of advertising on the general election, according to AdImpact, an ad tracking firm. Only $3.7 million of that had come directly from Vance’s campaign, with another $1.6 million split between the campaign and the National Republican Senatorial Committee through coordinated advertising.
On the Democratic side, Ryan’s campaign had accounted for $24 million of the more than $29 million spent or reserved through Election Day and splitting another $835,000 with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Other outside Democratic groups had committed only $4.5 million to the race — about 14% of what the GOP groups are spending.
Ryan said the lack of national spending hasn’t frustrated him and that Vance, because of the largesse behind him, would owe more favors if he wins. “The optics of it,” Ryan added, “are in my favor.”
Others are more willing to raise complaints on Ryan’s behalf.
When campaign manager Dave Chase tweeted about tight polling numbers last week, he noted how Ryan “has defended his lead with no outside spending from national Dem groups.”
