MANSFIELD — U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown came home to Mansfield on Tuesday and talked about how local Democrats can sway the election if they each impact five people.
“Think about the impact you can make with five people,” Brown said during remarks at the Richland County Democratic Headquarters. “You have to find five people and teach them, educate them and mentor them. Then take them to the Richland County Board of Elections before Tuesday’s election.
“I don’t predict often in politics, but if we do that around the state, people who voted in their first election will say, ‘My goodness, this voting thing is great.
“Brown won, (Ken) Harbaugh won, Danny O’Connor won — this voting thing kind of works!’ They are going to make it a habit and in 2020, they are going to get rid of this president (Donald Trump).”
Prior to serving in the U.S. Senate, the 65-year-old Mansfield Senior graduate served as a U.S. Representative for the 13th District, Ohio’s Secretary of State, a member of the Ohio General Assembly, and has taught in Ohio’s public schools and at The Ohio State University.
Brown defeated two-term Republican incumbent Mike DeWine in the 2006 Senate election and was re-elected in 2012, defeating state Treasurer Josh Mandel.
Brown is on the Nov. 6 ballot, opposed by Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci, who represents Ohio’s 16th District.
Brown spoke for about 15 minutes, boosting candidates up and down the Democratic ticket.
“This district really is won by Richland County,” he said. “Richland County and Franklin County, we really rely on you. We have good candidates this year — all 16 congressional districts.”
Brown addressed how hard it can being liberal in a conservative town like Mansfield.
“I know this county is getting harder and harder — that’s the way it is for the state. We’re seeing cities like Columbus get more Democratic, but places like Mansfield and Zanesville and Dover and Springfield getting more and more challenging, in part because we don’t have the union membership. I know how hard some of you can fight, and I so, so, so, appreciate it.”
Brown spoke about Trump, tying in recent shootings and bombs sent to notable Democrats and CNN.
“I spent much of Sunday calling rabbis around the state. Rabbis are now having to up the security. When the president said their answer should be to have more armed guards — the president who said we should arm teachers — I don’t put this at the feet of President Trump, but I do say when you look at his response to Charlottesville, and the racism, anti-semitism, and sexism coming out of the White House, he has the responsibility to unite the country.
“It’s not going to change. We will beat him in 2020, but he’s not going to change.”
Brown asked those in attendance to sign up for canvasing in town and making phone calls. After he was finished, the audience morphed into a line to meet and take photos with him.
