U.S. Senate: Sherrod Brown faces challenger with different vision of what’s best for Ohio
By Emily Nerici
After a long, grueling campaign season, including three intense debates, it is still anyone’s race for U.S. Senate in Ohio. Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown and Republican Congressman Jim Renacci stand strong in what they believe in, and we see two different men with two different visions.
Of all the issues that have been debated, the biggest battle between the two politicians, it seems, is which one of them cares more for the state of Ohio. In the first debate on Oct. 12 in Cleveland, Renacci was quick to jump to the conclusion that, as he said, Brown “loves Washington too much.” However, Brown bounces back, confirming his devotion to Ohio, reminding everyone that, although he spends all week in Washington, “I come home every single weekend.”
Brown, born in Mansfield, still lives in Ohio with his wife, Connie Schultz, according to his online biography. At the beginning of every debate, Brown never forgot to thank his family for their constant support. He takes pride in his born-and-raised Ohio life. After attending Yale University, Brown went on to earn his master’s from The Ohio State University, then taught in Ohio’s public schools and at Ohio State, according to his website. In his career, Brown has also served as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives and has served as Ohio Secretary of State.
According to Ballotpedia, Brown was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2006 and was reelected in 2012. After advancing unopposed in the Democratic primary last May, he is now running for a third term in the Nov. 6 general election.
Renacci, though born in Pittsburgh, has long lived in Ohio, according to his online biography. After graduating from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Renacci started his own business, LTC Management Services, in Ohio. He then began his political career in Wadsworth, first on the Board of Zoning Appeals, then as City Council president. Renacci ultimately became the mayor of Wadsworth from 2004 to 2008. In 2011, he became the U.S. Representative from Ohio’s 16th Congressional District. Renacci defeated Mike Gibbons, Melissa Ackison, Dan Kiley and Don Elijah Eckhart in the Republican primary on May 8, according to Ballotpedia.
A lot of hot topics have been discussed between the two candidates this year. Brown, overall, stressed in the first debate that he just wants to bring community and unity to Ohio. He also emphasizes his support of law enforcement, jobs, cities and infrastructure. In the second debate, on Oct. 20 in Columbus, he said he wants to continue protection for those with pre-existing conditions when it comes to health care.
Another important issue for Brown is immigration. Brown, at the second debate, recalled a conversation he had with his wife recently about the current problem of children being separated from their families by immigration officials. He brought it into perspective as he mentioned his grandchildren under the age of four and how horrific it would be for them to be separated from their families. He noted that most children that age don’t know the names of their parents or even where they live, so reuniting them with their parents can be difficult. What is going on should not be tolerated, he said.
Brown is not unfamiliar with the topic of immigration. Professor Carrie Buchanan, a Canadian former journalist, now at John Carroll University in University Heights, Ohio, explained in an interview how Brown personally helped her and her husband, Rev. George Buchanan. The Buchanans, who are both Canadian, moved to the Cleveland in 2006. In 2009, George’s father became very ill and ultimately passed away. George went up to Ottawa to see his father one last time before he died, but his visa had expired. Though he had applied for a new one many months earlier, a new visa had not yet been processed. Even though his lawyer assured him all would be fine, because there was supposed to be a “compassionate” clause that would permit someone waiting for a visa to leave and re-enter the country due to a death in the family, he could not get back into the U.S. and was stuck in Canada for two months. During that time, members of his congregation called Brown’s office and, according to Buchanan, Brown truly went all out for them.
“Sherrod Brown was making personal phone calls on his [George] behalf,” to immigration officials, Buchanan said. She even recalls delivering a gift basket to Brown’s Cleveland office to thank everyone for all their hard work, however, they said they could not accept any gifts. She saw this as a “sign of the level of ethics and honorable behavior he expects from his staff.” Buchanan was “really grateful he [Brown] was on the phone for my husband, personally, because I know he has a lot of other things to do.” What is also important to note is that, since Buchanan and her husband are foreigners, they cannot vote. Brown, knowing this, still helped them anyway.
Brown also is very passionate about students. At the first and second debate, he mentioned that he wants to be proactive about helping students with their student loans and better preparing them for a successful future. He is quoted on his campaign website saying, “Student loan debt shouldn’t hold students back for decades after they’ve graduated.”
One problem though, however, is the ugly that always seems to come out in politics these days. In the second debate in Columbus, Renacci leveled sexual assault allegations. According to Cincinnati.com, Renacci came forward to the Cincinnati Enquirer editorial board saying that multiple women have come forward saying Brown has assaulted them back in the late 1980s. However, Renacci did not provide any proof or specifics on the matter.
Brown continued, in the second and third debate, to remind Renacci that his lawyer sent a “cease and desist” order, demanding that he stop bringing up such claims without proof, as they are “false and libelous.” Brown specifically said to Renacci in the second debate, “My former wife has asked you to stop attacking our family.” Brown’s ex-wife, now remarried and named Larke Recchie, who had first raised the assault allegations in divorce papers during the 1980s, issued a statement supporting him, the Columbus Dispatch and other news outlets reported. Brown, in both the second and third debates where Renacci continued his claims, spoke directly to his opponent, saying, “You should be ashamed of yourself.”
If you didn’t know anything about the midterm elections, at least you do now. Go out and do your part and vote on Nov. 6!
