Twelve years ago, Senator Sherrod Brown, a Democrat from Ohio, celebrated his re-election to a second term at an event in Columbus. At the same time, Barack Obama had successfully won Ohio for the second time, highlighting his administration’s intervention to support the auto industry. Although Brown wished to announce this success, he was experiencing voice issues, prompting his wife, writer Connie Schultz, to speak on his behalf.
During her speech, as Schultz mentioned Jeep’s expansion in Toledo and General Motors’ production of the Chevy Cruze at a revitalized plant near Youngstown, Brown interjected with raspy comments to ensure accuracy about details like Cleveland producing aluminum, Toledo manufacturing the transmission, Defiance making the engine, and Brunswick producing the airbags.
Reflecting on this past event brings into focus Brown’s current re-election campaign amid a significantly altered political climate. Ohio no longer serves as a vital presidential battleground, and the Lordstown plant where the Cruze was manufactured has shut down since 2019. Brown, who won his previous campaigns by margins of 5 and 7 points, now faces a challenging race against Bernie Moreno, a car dealership owner.
Brown, along with a diminishing number of Ohio Democrats, continues to advocate for a Democratic Party centered on working-class concerns, investing in local towns and factories, and valuing manufacturing jobs essential to the country’s economy. This message, theoretically easier to convey given the Biden administration’s substantial investments in renewable energy and chip manufacturing, remains difficult due to Ohio’s tougher political environment.
Various reasons exist for this difficult political landscape. Approximately 60% of Ohioans hold only a high school diploma, an associate degree, or some college education — a relatively high percentage. Meanwhile, union membership has decreased from its peak in 1989, and federal investments have been slow to materialize.
At a rally for Brown outside a Brotherhood of Electrical Workers hall in Dayton, David Cox, head of the local building trades council, noted a significant increase in employment opportunities for its members over the past 35 years. Yet, he acknowledged voter support for Democrats remains challenging, attributing it to a delayed realization among workers.
Democrats often overlook the role of a community’s condition on voter behavior. Regardless of one’s personal financial security, witnessing local economic decline can foster a sense of difficulty, a concept academics describe as “shared fate.” This sentiment could play a crucial role in upcoming elections, particularly in Midwest industrial towns where Democrats like Kamala Harris must perform well.
In 2007, Lorlene Hoyt and André Leroux identified “forgotten cities” — small urban centers with low household incomes. Urban researcher Michael Bloomberg recently updated this list, which now includes several Ohio cities, highlighting their importance in electoral dynamics concerning both presidential and congressional contests.
Smaller urban centers like Middletown and Springfield have gained special attention due to associations with notable figures and demographics. Their histories of attractive downtowns contrast with their present economic challenges, contributing to a political shift away from Democrats, despite the party’s traditional support base in these areas.
Marcy Kaptur, a seasoned Democrat and urban planner, recognizes the economic challenges affecting these areas. Her career is marked by advocacy for industrial economic stability as opposed to a focus on social issues, emphasizing the importance of economic development and workforce opportunities.
Kaptur’s efforts to highlight the plight of economically struggling districts to Democratic leaders have been ongoing for years. However, criticism of the party’s focus on affluent areas over struggling ones persists, especially amid changing voter dynamics.
Brown hails from a typical small Ohio city, Mansfield, which, like many others, has experienced manufacturing losses. His campaign focuses on voicing the concerns of small urban areas, including defending against outsourcing and emphasizing the impact on young residents facing limited economic opportunities.
Brown and Kaptur’s empathetic understanding of these urban centers has contributed to their electoral success even as the state has shifted politically. Challengers such as Moreno have not presented significant practical solutions for these cities, instead focusing on national cultural issues.
Despite warnings from long-standing figures like Brown and Kaptur, it appears that national Democratic efforts may have come too late for certain towns, where economic neglect has facilitated vulnerability to opposition messages focused on cultural issues. Brown, now facing increasing electoral competition, underscores how essential it is for Democrats to foster renewal in struggling small cities to secure electoral success in Ohio and other pivotal states.
