The Democratic candidates on the statewide ballot in Ohio told voters gathered in a Columbus brewery Friday evening that this election is about putting the state on a different path that protects women鈥檚 reproductive rights and focuses on the 鈥渄ignity of work.鈥�
The event kicked off a jam-packed weekend of campaign events for Nan Whaley, Democratic candidate for Ohio Governor, who said her main message to voters is that there is a 鈥渃lear choice鈥� in the statewide races.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a choice that protects your freedom, protects your interest in one good job being enough, grows communities all across the state, and that鈥檚 our message and vision,鈥� Whaley said of her campaign and her fellow Democratic candidates.
Whaley went on to tour the state in more than a dozen campaign stops leading up to Election Day.
She would meet up with regional Democratic candidates and others on the slate of Democratic candidates running for statewide office, which includes Scott Schertzer for Ohio Treasurer, Taylor Sappington for Ohio Auditor, Chelsea Clark for Ohio Secretary of State, and Jeff Crossman for Ohio Attorney General.
Each Democratic candidate is challenging a Republican incumbent running for re-election.
As Crossman shared with a crowd of supporters, he鈥檚 been told he comes off 鈥渁ngry.鈥�
鈥淲e have a right to be angry don鈥檛 we,鈥� Crossman said as the crowd shouts back in agreement. 鈥淲e have a right to be a little frustrated, don鈥檛 we? And I鈥檓 ready for change, are you ready for change? Well we have a chance to take back our state and that happens on Tuesday.鈥�
U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, the only Democrat to consistently win statewide elections in Ohio over the past decade, said he is not too concerned with the latest predictions on the governor鈥檚 race.
Brown said polling has not been able to accurately capture Democratic voters, including new voters who recently registered because of the U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
鈥淚 like the chances of both of them. I think there鈥檚 a lot of sleeper voters in this race and as Nan gets closer and closer and passes DeWine, Tim will do the same,鈥� said Brown, also discussing the chances of Tim Ryan in his race against J.D. Vance for the U.S. Senate.
The Republican candidates have also been hitting the road in Ohio, to tour the state and to engage voters in the final days of the election. A main message from the officeholders to their supporters was to stay energized even when polling shows many of the Republican candidates are leading their race.
