WASHINGTON, DC — In Niles, Ohio, front yards are dotted with flowers, shrubs and Trump signs. Ohio has become more Republican in recent years. Still, many voters say they care more about issues than party loyalty, a factor that is making for a tough election campaign in some states.
What you need to know
- Although Ohio has become increasingly Republican in recent years, many voters said they value issues over party loyalty.
- Local issues could play a role in Ohio’s Senate election, which is considered one of the most competitive in the country
- Voters said the economic situation was one of their biggest concerns
Many voters in the northeastern part of the state said they do not identify as Republicans or Democrats but have a positive opinion of former President Donald Trump.
“There are a lot of small businesses here. That means a lot of workers. They have to work for everything they have here. Trump was for that when he was in office. I think that’s kind of the mood,” said Devon Gulosh, a tattoo artist at Tattoo Industries in Niles.
Between clients, Gulosh discussed his political views and said he was not particularly enthusiastic about either Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris. Before making his final decision, he said he wanted to listen to the two debates and learn more about Harris’ political views.
Bryan Sumpter, owner of Tattoo Industries, said he also cannot identify with either party, but as a small business owner he is inclined to vote for Trump.
“I think inflation is really high and small business owners are feeling it. I think it’s been better than it is now,” Sumpter said. “I think over the last four years, food and gas prices have been so high that a lot of people can’t afford anything other than the bare necessities.”
Both men said they would pay more attention to local issues in state elections, including the contested Senate race between Sherrod Brown and Bernie Moreno. Voters from both parties agreed.
“I usually vote for the candidate, not necessarily the party and the administration. The philosophy, the ideas that I care about, will benefit all people in this country and move us forward,” said Laura Pellegrini, a Democrat from Salem, Ohio, who has volunteered to support Sherrod Brown’s campaign.
Some voters said their loyalty to the party was based on local concerns.
Erica Thomas of Niles, Ohio, said she voted Democratic all her life until she lost her longtime job at Delphi Packard Electric, an auto parts manufacturer. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2005, largely because free trade agreements made American labor more expensive than outsourcing jobs overseas.
“I think that was the beginning of the end for me. So someone whose father was a Democrat, whose grandfather was a Democrat, whose great-great-grandfather was probably a Democrat,” Thomas said. “Enough.”
Thomas said she plans to vote Republican in both the presidential and Senate elections.
Although voters said the issues matter most to them, many have not yet looked into the policy positions of local candidates, giving campaign teams time to educate voters on their positions.
