YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz warned that his party needs to adopt a 50-state strategy if it plans to win future elections.
About 2,600 people attended Monday night’s People’s Town Hall event at the DeYor Performing Arts Center to hear Walz, according to organizers of the event.
“We need to figure out, how do we win places back like right here?” he said.
Last month, the 2024 Democratic nominee for vice president began hosting the town halls in congressional districts represented by Republicans who have pulled back from such events.
Youngstown and Mahoning County are at the upper end of the 6th Congressional District, which is represented by U.S. Rep. Michael Rulli of Salem.
In response to an invitation to participate in the event from Christopher Anderson, chairman of the Mahoning County Democratic Party, Rulli said he would be unable to take part in this “pathetic spectacle” with the “failed” vice presidential candidate because he would be in Washington “fulfilling my duty” to the 750,000-plus constituents he represents.
“I have never seen this. I’ve seen congressmen kind of ignore their constituents. I’ve seen congressmen kind of try and dodge things. I have never seen someone put out a statement like this,” Walz said. He predicted Rulli’s statement would “come back and bite him in the ass.”
The event lasted 85 minutes, about an hour of which consisted of Walz responding to audience questions, moderated by state Rep. Lauren McNally of Youngstown, D-58. McNally pointed out that none of the 10 Republican congressmen who represent districts in Ohio have hosted an in-person town hall since the inauguration of President Donald Trump.
Walz pointed out that he faced constituents during town halls in 2009 attended by Tea Party activists who were angry about his support for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, more popularly known as Obamacare.
“Stand here and answer those questions,” he said.
Democrats need to think about why they are losing elections, he said. If it was about having the best polices, Democrats would win every election, he predicted.
“I say this as a teacher: When I teach a lesson and half the class doesn’t get it, I don’t assume half the class isn’t very bright. I assume that I should differentiate my instruction,” he said.
Democrats also can’t “continue to bet people’s health care, the future [and] the sanity of the world” on the seven so-called blue wall states “that weren’t much of a wall this time,” he warned.
“We need to expand our map, and we need to take a 50-state approach to this. We’re not going to heal America if we leave Ohio behind, or if we leave Texas behind,” he said. “We have to make [Republicans] play everywhere.”
Walz said no one is surprised by the chaos of the Trump administration, though they might question whether it is driven by “malevolence or stupidity.” He also said Republicans have “masterfully figured out ways to find the teeniest, smallest issue and divide us over it,” distracting people from figuring out how to make communities safer, “economically and physically,” how to create opportunity for people and how to ensure the planet is livable.
“But winning elections is not the end. It’s a means to an end. If you don’t win elections, you can’t impact policy that improves people’s lives,” he stressed. “And we’re going to have to figure out you don’t win elections to bank political capital to save for the next election. You win elections to burn political capital to improve life.”
Among the questions Walz addressed was how Democrats could go about getting support from younger votes. He acknowledged that the party particularly lost young men in large numbers.
“The biggest thing that we have a problem doing is connecting our policies to how it impacts people’s lives,” he said.
He also said people should acknowledge that it is much harder to be a young person today. “There were two things that I never worried about growing up. I never worried about being shot dead in my school or trying to figure out how to pay for college,” he said.
A man who identified himself as Shawn Murray of Youngstown, a veteran of Afghanistan who is studying nursing at Youngstown State University, pointed to exit polls that showed support for Trump increased among men ages 18 to 20. When he gets into political discussions with his fellow students, they offer “right-wing talking points” that they mainly find on social media.
“I’m directly affected by many of the current policy changes, primarily the cuts to the [Veterans Administration.] I try to explain to them that these things have real-world consequences, but they don’t want to hear it,” he said.
In addition, Walz said Democrats need to make a better economic case and, while continuing to support unions and the working class, maintain that it is OK to be successful but not to be “a greedy bastard” when they are and pay their taxes.
“I don’t think we should be the party that demonizes someone because they’re able to afford something, or they’re able to work hard and get something,” he said.
Democrats can achieve success organizing locally, he advised. The national, state and local parties are not there to “drive the message” but are “a mechanism to help you get elected,” he pointed out. A state Supreme Court victory for the Democratic candidate in Wisconsin and tighter than expected losses in two Florida congressional races have republicans concerned.
“If you’re in a district that you only won by 15 points or less, you’re in trouble if the election was today. It’s about sustaining this energy,” he said.
Just over 4,000 individuals applied to attend the event before the Ohio Democratic Party closed the application portal, said Katie Seewer, ODP press secretary.
Those attending included Joy Shaffer of Poland. She said she calls Rulli’s office almost daily, as well as the offices of Ohio’s two Republican U.S. senators, Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted, to ask them when they are going to do a town hall event.
“There’s a lot of things that I’m concerned about – Social Security, immigration, the stock market now,” she said. “They’re elected to represent me, even though I may or may not have voted for them.”
Stuart Rothman of Boardman said he believes even Trump’s most fervent supporters “are surprised at the disaster that’s come about.” He said he has two grandsons who are on educational plans that are in danger of being defunded. And was concerned about the widening wealth gap.
College student Deanna Egan of North Canton also expressed concern over education funding.
“A lot of the misogyny and hate and racism is even more concerning,” she added. “The amount of unkind words coming out of Washington are not something I want to see in my country.”
Jack Hineman, a Vietnam veteran, was blunt in his assessment of Trump.
“The biggest thing is he’s a traitor,” he said. He also criticized Trump for playing golf at his Florida resort while four fallen servicemen who died during a training exercise in Lithuania were returned to the United States.
“There’s a real energy out there that people want to hold their representatives accountable,” said John Boccieri of Poland, who Rulli defeated for his state senate seat in 2018. He criticized his successor for “not having the courage to come out and address your constituents and tell them why you support things,” which he sees as “a basic element of American politics.”
Laura Baird of Medina said she has two children with special school needs but also is concerned about the elimination of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and immigration. Walz “encouraged us that we’re the people and we have a voice,” she said. “It was exciting to be in a room filled with people. It helps us not to feel so alone, because oftentimes, watching the news and everything, you feel kind of alone,” she said. “So here you’re with a group of people. There’s a lot of energy. There’s a lot of hope again.”
Monday afternoon, about 90 minutes before the town hall’s scheduled start, Americans for Prosperity-Ohio released a statement on behalf of its state director, Donovan O’Neill, blasting what it described as Walz’s “tone deaf Ohio tour,” which also is taking him to Zanesville and Lorain County this week.
“Tim Walz is visiting Ohio to promote the Democrats’ radical agenda, but the reality is that Ohio voters have repeatedly rejected their policies,” he said in the news release. “Ohioans won’t be deceived by this ‘Democrat Delusion Tour.’ Why should they take advice from a governor whose own state is struggling with a crippled economy, rampant fraud, and political dysfunction?”
Rulli’s office did not respond to requests to comment Monday before and after the event.