After already appearing together in two debates, Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH) and his Republican opponent J.D. Vance also appeared on Fox News Channel’s “Special Report” Tuesday night, appealing to voters about who will replace retiring Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH).
Vance put on a knockout performance, including when, as Katie pointed out, he spoke about Big Tech being the biggest threat to the US election. The same couldn’t be said for Ryan, who floundered when it was his turn to answer questions earlier in the show, including and especially when it came to his own record.
Rep. Ryan proudly boasted about his support for the misnamed “Inflation Reduction Act” in August. But when an Ohio voter asked him the first question during the debate, Rep. Ryan admitted it wouldn’t provide relief, at least not “in the short term,” as he put it.
“Can you look me in the face and tell me that government spending on green energy subsidies under the Inflation Reduction Act, which increases our national debt, in any way reduces my burden at the gas station and the grocery store?” Valerie from Deerfield asked him.
Although Ryan began his response by admitting, “I couldn’t say that right now, right now,” he continued, praising the legislation in other ways, such as the natural gas provisions, and calling for tax cuts. In that response, the congressman joined others who acknowledged much about the legislation but still support it, including Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT) AND Joe Manchin (West Virginia Democrat).
“Can you look me in the face and tell me that government spending on green energy subsidies through the Inflation Reduction Act… in any way reduces my burden at the gas station and the grocery store?”
Democrat Tim Ryan: ‘I couldn’t say that.’ photo: twitter.com/z0l80u7QT0
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) November 1, 2022
When host Bret Baier asked how he planned to convince his fellow Democrats to do the same, Ryan dismissed the question with a response:Well, you ask me what I… what I would like to do. I have no control over everyone else.
Speaking of Senator Manchin, Ryan went ahead and made a misrepresentation about the permit reform bill that Manchin was promised as part of a deal with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) in July in exchange for helping pass the Inflation Reduction Act.
“It was the Republicans, Bret, who killed the permit bill, Ryan claimed, even adding that Manchin “managed to convince almost every Democrat.” While Ryan may have supported permit reform, the letters were really from fellow Democrats AND climate change groups Who signaled they wanted such reform separately from the Continuing Resolution (CR).
Ultimately Manchin signaled to Schumer that he wanted to withdraw it from CR, which also happened.
Johnny, who studies political science at Stockholm State University, then asked Ryan about his stance on bail reform. Cedarville University. He asked Ryan, “What What exactly will you do to solve this problem and prevent criminals from being released from our cities without any incentive to stop them from committing another crime or returning to court?”
The congressman tried to once again present himself as a moderate, as he has done in the past, sharing his support Ohio referendum initiative which would amend the state constitution to require judges to “consider factors such as public safety, including the seriousness of the offense and the criminal history of the person” when setting bail amounts and conditions. He also called for “more police officers” as he drew applause from the audience for showing he cares about crime, or so he says.
Co-host MacCallum didn’t let that be the final word, however, as she recalled Ryan’s story. “You’ve said in the past that you support eliminating cash bail, and a lot of people see people getting arrested. The next day, they’re back on the street,” she added. “You’ve also said that you think nonviolent offenders should be released from prison. And a lot of people fall into that nonviolent category, including drug dealers, including people in possession of drugs, including people distributing child pornography.” Vance also confronted Ryan on that stance during last month’s debates.
In response, Ryan stuck to his claim that he meant “marijuana crimes” and changed his perspective to “I think we need to legalize marijuana.”
Ohio Democrat Tim Ryan has been criticized for supporting the abolition of cash bail and the mass release of offenders from prisons.
His response was, “I think we need to legalize marijuana.”
🤔 photo:twitter.com/qIwozVQADX
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) November 1, 2022
During the 2019 presidential campaign, Ryan signed an ACLU pledge that included support for cashless bail and a commitment to freeing half of prisoners. He also reiterated his pledge at an ACLU event that same year.
Speaking of the ACLU, Ryan also indicated in a 2019 survey for the organization that he supported defunding the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE), something he also lied about during a meeting with residents when Colin from Portsmouth asked him about the matter.
Tim Ryan promised in 2019 to defund ICE and support citizenship for millions of illegal immigrantshttps://t.co/djdWDSx0Eu
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) November 1, 2022
The congressman was also asked about his position on abortion, which he said was in line with the “go[ing] back to “Roe v. Wade” because he also gave a vague answer when it came to the legality of abortion later in the semester. While Ryan said, “this can only be done in the event of a medical emergency”, there doesn’t seem to be enough information on how Doe v Bolton accompanying case Roe Abortion was permitted later in pregnancy for all reasons due to a loosely defined “health” exception, which included all factors “significant to the patient’s well-being.”
Ryan continued, claiming: as he has done in the pastthat such late abortions are performed in the so-calledmedical emergency.” In fact, research shows that a diminutive percentage of such abortions are performed for these reasons, but they are often for logistical and/or socio-economic considerations.
In addition, Ryan’s vote in favor of the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA) would mean that he actually supports it NO abortion restrictions. While pro-abortion Democrats say the bill would merely codify Roe, would actually expand it. This bill would even invalidate pro-life laws passed at the state level.
Baier confronted Ryan with this reality about the bill and his record, pointing out that it had “no limitations.” When asked if he thought it had limitations, Ryan dodged the question, reiterating that he supported Roe v. Wade, or at least what he thought it included.
One particularly memorable mistake came later in the debate when Ryan was booed, but Baier and MacCallum quickly quieted the crowd so the congressman could continue.
Ryan was rightly asked about his disturbing rhetoric in September, in the form of a Twitter question, during which he called MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” and said that we need to “kill and confront” the so-called “extremist Republican” movement. Such remarks were ironically made on the sidelines, while Ryan tried to claim that he would work across the aisle.
Ohio Democrat Tim Ryan was asked what he meant when he called for a “kill and confrontation” with the MAGA movement: “I shouldn’t [Ryan] apologize and withdraw?”
Predictably, he avoids the attack. photo:twitter.com/jRg64OovWs
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) November 1, 2022
The congressman tried to have it both ways, as he wanted to focus on the “confrontation” part of his statement while doubling down on the supposed radicalism of these “extreme Republicans.” Ryan not only turned to last week’s attack on Paul Pelosi, claiming Vance had failed to condemn him, but also to Jan. 6, 2021, when the barbs came to blows.
When Ryan claimed that “leaders” of the extremist movement “stormed the Capitol on January 6th” and “killed one person,” meaning the officer and not Ashli Babbitt, the only person who died in the Capitol that day after being shot by a Capitol Police officer, one onlooker shouted “liar.”
While this type of event is not the place for such unwelcome and inappropriate interruptions, it is worth mentioning that medical reports show that the officer people say was killed, Brian Sicknick, died of natural causes. The claim that he died on January 6 is a lie that has been repeated over and over again, including by President Joe Biden.
Since MacCallum had promised Ryan they would, the co-hosts asked Vance if he condemned the attack on Paul Pelosi. Vance noted that “Tim should hire better investigators” and condemned the violence, making it clear that he had been doing so “from the very beginning.”
Vance also recalled that the suspect, Daniel DePape, is here illegally, drawing applause when he pointed out, “In my opinion, simply put, we need to deport violent illegal immigrants.”
“And when an illegal immigrant attacks Paul Pelosi, that is tragic and terrible, but it does not reflect Republicans. It reflects the fact that we allow too many violent people to live freely in our country,” Vance insisted.
Vance is considered the favorite in the race, with a +2.2 lead in the polls, According to RealClearPolitics (RCP). Forecasters, including RCP, see race as “Heading toward the GOP,” with RCP predicting a “GOP Hold.” Decision Desk HQ, which is among those saying the race is tilting in Vance’s favor, shows 77.2% chance Vance’s victory.
