Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan (D-OH) formally announced his Senate candidacy on Monday morning, after months of speculation about his plans. Ryan is the first Democrat to throw his hat into the fight for the party’s nomination.
“America’s success doesn’t lie in the halls of Congress. It lies in the calloused hands and unrelenting determination of the American worker. Those who have dug deepest are the ones who are moving our nation upward,” Ryan says in his launch ad. “Right now, our workers need a game plan. We’re competing with countries all over the world for jobs. That’s why I think there’s nothing more patriotic than investing in our team: our people, our workers… I’ll work with anyone to rebuild our economy, but I’ll never sell out our workers.”
I’m running for U.S. Senate to fight like hell to cut workers out of their contract. pic.twitter.com/O1hkLdS1up
— Tim Ryan (@TimRyan) April 26, 2021
Ryan had previously launched a long-term bid for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, which ended before the Iowa general elections. He is currently serving his 10th term in the House of Representatives, representing Ohio’s 18th congressional district.
The current Senate seat is being vacated by incumbent GOP Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), who announced he will not seek re-election in 2022. Republican contenders for the nomination include former Ohio Republican Party Chair Jane Timken, former chair of the party Ohio Republican Jane Timken, former Treasurer Josh Mandel, political outsider Bernie Moreno and businessman Mike Gibbons. Former President Donald Trump has not yet expressed support. The former president won Ohio by 8 points in the 2016 and 2020 general elections.
