Candidate aiming to sway middle class

From Middletown Journal: 

As a Democrat, U.S. Rep. Sherrod Brown made it no secret Tuesday night that he plans to appeal to the working class to win votes in the Republican stronghold of Butler County in an attempt to end Mike DeWine's 12-year run in the Senate.

While DeWine's campaign has labeled the Northeast Ohio politician — who voted against the war in Iraq and supports increasing the minimum wage — as a liberal far left from the mainstream, Brown said, "I consider myself someone that fights for middle-class values. I don't know what liberal is or what a conservative is."

After being given a standing ovation from 200 local Democrats during the Butler County Democratic Party's annual Truman Kennedy Holcomb Dinner at the Manchester Inn, Brown took some swipes at DeWine.

He blamed Republican leadership like DeWine's for the confusion surrounding Medicare Part D, for energy policy that favors oil companies and raises gas prices, and for outsourcing of manufacturing jobs.

"This crowd in Washington has betrayed our trust, has betrayed our values, betrayed our families, and betrayed our middle class," said Brown, a former Ohio Secretary of State. "That's why voters want a change in 2006."

The Mansfield native struck a sensitive chord when he paralleled AK's Steel's 39-month lockout of workers at its Mansfield plant until December 2002 with lockout at Middletown Works.

"It hurt Mansfield every day when those workers were locked out," Brown said. "Look at what's happened to Hamilton and Middletown, the number of manufacturing jobs lost. Nobody in Washington, in Southwest Ohio, is fighting for these middle-class jobs."

Click here to read the full article. 

08/30/2006 / Permalink / Southwest Ohio, (all tags)

Hackett Endorses Brown at Cincinnati Rally

Paul Hackett endorses Sherrod at Cincinnati rally

A crowd of more than 100 enthusiastic supporters, elected officials, Democratic candidates and journalists gathered in Cincinnati yesterday for a Unity Rally co-hosted by Rep. Sherrod Brown and Iraq veteran Paul Hackett.

The former primary rivals stood together at Theodore M. Berry International Friendship after meeting privately over the weekend.

"I want to help Sherrod, because I want to make our country better, make Ohio better," said Hackett. "We need quality leadership like Sherrod Brown, someone who will stand up for Ohio families and Ohio veterans. And he has done that."

"Paul is very supportive of this race, because he shares my same values," Sherrod said. "We need change from the pay-to-play culture in Washington embraced by Mike DeWine that has hurt Ohio families and Ohio veterans."

Chris Baker of Ohio 2nd Blog and Yellow Dog Sammy of Ohio2006 provide an excellent wrap-up of the day's events, including pictures and some audio.

The endorsement made headlines across Ohio and the country:

• Hackett backs Brown in Ohio Senate race (Associated Press)
• Hackett embraces former rival (Cincinnati Enquirer)
• Hackett apologizes to, supports Brown (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
• Ohio Democrats Make Nice to Unseat DeWine (Washington Post)
• Brown Picks Up Endorsement (NPR-WKSU)
• Ex-candidate and Iraq war vet endorses former foe (Columbus Dispatch)
• One-time rivals know who foe is (Akron Beacon-Journal)
• Ed Schultz Interviews Paul Hackett

Sherrod warmly welcomes Paul's support and look forward to working with him to bring change to Ohio.

07/11/2006 / Permalink / 2006, Southwest Ohio, (all tags)

Hackett backs Brown in Ohio Senate race

From AP via Yahoo! News: 

Democrat Paul Hackett, who angrily quit the Senate race in February after a shove from party leaders, endorsed his former primary rival on Monday in the high-stakes race in Ohio.

Hackett, an Iraq war veteran, said his fight with Rep. Sherrod Brown is over, and the two rallied in Cincinnati on Monday to show their unity. Hackett blamed himself for fomenting discord within the party, saying he suddenly realized last Thursday that he was unnecessarily hurting them both by sulking over the way his primary challenge ended.

"I was cutting my grass and said to myself ... it's totally unproductive for me to be largely responsible for this antagonistic relationship between me and Sherrod," Hackett told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.

Click here to read the full article. 

07/11/2006 / Permalink / 2006, Southwest Ohio, (all tags)

Ohio Democrats Make Nice to Unseat DeWine

From Washington Post: 

Hackett, a veteran of the Iraq war who has become a favorite of liberal bloggers and the Democratic "net roots," endorsed Brown's Ohio Senate candidacy yesterday -- five months after leaving the race himself.

"Maybe I don't like every issue Sherrod Brown believes in, but we agree on 95 percent of the issues," Hackett said. "Maybe I am not going to go fishing with him, but he shares my core concerns."

...National Democrats saw a public pronouncement by Hackett as essential to unifying Ohio Democrats behind Brown as he seeks to unseat Republican Sen. Mike DeWine in the fall.

Schumer praised Hackett' s "statesman-like act" and added, "This is the kind of unity that the DSCC has encouraged in Democratic campaigns, and that will help pave the way for victory in 2006."

Click here to read the full article.

07/11/2006 / Permalink / 2006, Southwest Ohio, (all tags)

Iraq Veteran Paul Hackett Endorses Brown for U.S. Senate

Former Primary Rivals Call for Unity at Cincinnati Rally

CINCINNATI - Ohio Democrats took another significant step today towards victory in November when Congressman Sherrod Brown (D-Lorain County) and Iraq veteran Paul Hackett stood shoulder to shoulder before a cheering crowd of more than 100 supporters in Cincinnati.

The former primary rivals called the Unity Rally to announce Hackett's endorsement for Brown in his Senate race against incumbent Republican Sen. Mike DeWine.

"I want to help Sherrod, because I want to make our country better, make Ohio better," said Hackett. "We need quality leadership like Sherrod Brown, someone who will stand up for Ohio families and Ohio veterans. And he has done that."

"Paul is very supportive of this race, because he shares my same values," said Brown. "We need change from the pay-to-play culture in Washington embraced by Mike DeWine that has hurt Ohio families and Ohio veterans."

07/10/2006 / Permalink / 2006, Southwest Ohio, Veterans, (all tags)

VIDEO: Dayton News Conference

Sherrod held news conferences in Columbus and Dayton last weekend as part of the Independence from Special Interests Tour. 

Watch video from the Dayton news conference below.

07/05/2006 / Permalink / Independence Tour, Southwest Ohio, Video, (all tags)

Congressman Sherrod Brown Makes A Stop In Dayton

From WDTN-NBC: 

Congressman Sherrod Brown made an appearance in Dayton over the weekend calling for corporate responsibility.

The stop is part of the Congressman's "Independence From Special Interests Tour." Brown spoke about his proposed ban on sweatshop labor.

In Congress, the lawmaker recently introduced the "Decent Working Conditions and Fair Competition Act." If passed, that measure would ban the import, export, or sale of products made with child labor.
 
"Congress also needs to pass trade agreements. Not like the trade agreement that Senator DeWine voted for just recently. The trade agreement with lemonade that undercuts our national security and out-sources our jobs. We put NAFTA and other trade agreements back on the table so they lift up working standards in the countries... and hurting us with job creation," Brown said.

Congressman Brown is running for U.S. Senate against incumbent Republican Senator Mike DeWine. 

07/05/2006 / Permalink / Independence Tour, Southwest Ohio, (all tags)

Brown visits Clinton County

From Wilmington News Journal:

Congressman Sherrod Brown joined Clinton County residents for a barbecue Sunday at the home of Kevin and Tonya Snarr on North Lincoln Street. While visiting in Clinton County, Brown discussed the need for a new direction in Ohio. He is a candidate for U.S. Senate. Pictured at the right, Brown talks with Kevin Snarr (back to camera) and Michael Snarr.

Click here to see the photograph. 

07/05/2006 / Permalink / Independence Tour, Southwest Ohio, (all tags)