Mahoning Valley political leaders sound off on DeWine’s appointment
Political leaders in the Mahoning Valley reacted predictably Friday to Gov. Mike DeWine’s appointment of Lt. Gov. Jon Husted to the U.S. Senate.
Republicans, such as Mahoning County GOP Chairman Tom McCabe, called it “a great pick.” Democrats, such as Trumbull County Chairman Mark Alberini, considered Husted’s appointment as continuing a pattern of Republican officeholders promoting a partisan agenda.
Husted will replace Republican J.D. Vance who will be inaugurated vice president Monday.
Husted will join Bernie Moreno, who was elected to the Senate in November after ousting longtime Democrat Sen. Sherrod Brown.
MAHONING COUNTY REACTION
McCabe spoke by phone on his way to Washington, D.C., for President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.
“I think it’s a great pick,” he said. “Gov. DeWine had a lot of good options, but Jon — he’s won in Ohio. He’s a proven fundraiser, he’s a good person. He’s spent a lot of time in the Valley as well.
We’re excited about that. At the end of the day, he probably gives us our best shot at retaining the seat.”
Riding with McCabe was Alison Zwicker of Canfield, State Central Committee representative for the 33rd District.
“I agree with everything Tom said. Gov DeWine had a lot of good options, and any one of them would have been great,” she said. “We’re looking forward to all the good he’ll do. Jon Husted has good Christian values, and he’s a great family man.”
McCabe’s political counterpart, Mahoning Democratic Party Chair Chris Anderson, had different thoughts and sees the appointment as a strategic move.
“It just shows how afraid they are of the MAGA wing of their party,” Anderson said. “It shows that any sensibility that’s left in the Republican Party is gone. It’s blatantly obvious that they are clearing the primary field for the gubernatorial race because they’re afraid of a tech bro billionaire.”
Anderson said he expects Vivek Ramaswamy to seek the governor’s chair and Husted’s appointment to the Senate takes a front-runner for the nomination off the board.
“This shows the influence billionaires have on the GOP,” Anderson said. “He’s going to run for governor having only ever done one thing, and that was a failed bid for the presidential nomination. Now he’s helping to pull the strings of their party just like Elon Musk.”
Anderson said he would not be surprised if another gubernatorial front-runner, Attorney General David Yost, were appointed to a federal position as well in the coming weeks.
On some aspects of the strategic analysis, McCabe and Anderson agree. McCabe said the field for the gubernatorial race is robust for his party.
“The nice thing is the GOP has a nice deep bench of candidates, and it certainly helps us having an appointment for the senate,” he said. “Yost, Frank LaRose, Jane Timken, they’re all proven winners. I think Jon Husted was the front runner, and I’ve already endorsed him for governor, but now I’ll have to find a new candidate next year.”
TRUMBULL COUNTY
Trumbull County Republican Chair Julia Shutt said her party has faith in Husted to support Trump’s vision.
“We support Mike DeWine’s pick to replace J.D. Vance because we trust he will support President-Elect Trump’s agenda,” she said. But Shutt said they will need to see action from Husted, who she said has yet to prove his support for Trump and did not win the seat through the primary process.
“Trumbull County has had record wins in November largely due to the support for Trump and his platform. We’re hoping that Senator-to-be Husted will support Trump’s America First agenda.
The Trumbull County Republican Party is supporting unifying the party, attracting new members and supporting Republican candidates. We’re really entering a golden age, and we are excited.”
The Ohio Republican Party’s statement was similar, and celebrated Husted and Moreno as allies of Trump.
“The Ohio Republican Party now has two Republican senators who are poised to work with President-Elect Trump and Vice President-Elect J.D. Vance to Make America Great Again,” said the statement by Ohio Republican Chair Alex Triantafilou.
“Lt. Gov, Husted brings his record of success in Ohio to Washington, where he will be an unwavering voice for Ohio workers, families and businesses.”
Trumbull County Democratic Party Chair Mark Alberini was less enthusiastic.
“First off, I feel strongly that the people of Ohio deserve a senator who’s going to work tirelessly to represent all Ohioans’ interests and not just represent a partisan agenda,” he said. “I’ve got concerns. I think that in the Ohio GOP the past several years, there’s been more of a focus on serving special interests and advancing their own political ambitions than addressing the challenges Ohioans face. From health care costs to stagnant wages and everything in between,
we have our issues here and they need to be addressed in a bipartisan manner.”
Alberini castigated the GOP for unreported lobbying, mishandling of pandemic relief funds and other actions he said erode public trust.
“It’s been a pattern of behavior. We can’t have a senator going to Washington that isn’t transparent and above board,” he said. “This Senate seat belongs to the people of Ohio, not party insiders and power brokers or people with a party agenda. Whoever it is, they’ve got to demonstrate a commitment to listening to our concerns and fighting for a better future for all Ohioans.”
The Ohio Democratic Party released a statement Friday indicating it does not believe Husted is that person. The statement directly ties Husted to the FirstEnergy scandal that sent former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder to prison.
“Under DeWine and Husted’s leadership, Ohio is known as the most corrupt state government in the United States. And the politician at the heart of it all just got a promotion,” the statement read. “Husted, a ‘good friend’ of FirstEnergy’, pushed the legislation that led to the largest corruption scandal in Ohio history, raising bills for Ohioans while bailing out large corporations. Despite a trail of evidence indicating otherwise, Husted denies all involvement.”
The statement goes on to say that Husted texted regularly with FirstEnergy executives to solicit bribes and avoided testifying at depositions.
“While DeWine may have handed Husted a literal get-out-of-jail-free card, Ohioans won’t tolerate a career politician with a penchant for corruption and scandal,” said state party Chair Elizabeth Walters. Walters said the party will spend the next two years working to hold Husted accountable and will challenge him aggressively for the seat in the midterm election.
Rep. Nick Santucci of Niles, a Republican and the new majority whip in the Ohio House, celebrated the appointment.
“As lieutenant governor, Jon Husted was a champion for economic and workforce development, and his expertise will be invaluable in the U.S. Senate as he partners with President Trump to reshape our nation’s future,” Santucci said. “This is a pivotal moment for our country, and I am confident Sen. Husted will play a key role in advancing policies that strengthen our economy and empower American workers. I look forward to working with him to align the Trump administration’s priorities with our legislative goals here in Ohio.”