Last week, Jerrad Christian, the progressive Democrat running for the seat held by knee-jerk MAGA Republican Troy Balderson, told me he had spent nearly half a day at the Holmes County fair. My mind went click, click, click and I remembered the only 3 things I know about Holmes County. In 2020 it gave Trump the biggest percentage of any county in Ohio:
Trump- 10,796 (83.2%)
Biden- 1,994 (15.4%)
And… at one point when I was doing the research, it had the worst COVID vaccination rates of any county in the state. And, number 3, last year Holmes residents voted 75% against the constitutional amendment guaranteeing women the right to have an abortion. Only Putnam, Mercer and Shelby voted at higher levels against Choice. The three factoids certainly helped define Holmes County in my mind. So I thought— what the hell was Jerrad doing there? About 44,000 people live there and there aren’t many voters and, in fact, nearly half the folks in the county are Amish. Over 97% of the population is white. The per capita income for the county is around $17,000 and 13.3% of the residents live below the poverty line. The per capita income for Ohio is $25,113 and for the U.S. it’s $27,334. Holmes has the 86th lowest per capita income of any of the 88 Ohio counties.
The congressional district, OH-12 is made up of all of Athens (pop- 62,431), Coshocton (pop- 36,612), Fairfield (pop- 158,921), Guernsey (pop- 38,438), Knox (pop- 62,721), Licking (pop- 178,519), Morgan (pop- 13,802), Muskingum (pop- 86,410) and Perry (pop- 35,408) counties and portions of Delaware Holmes and Tuscarawas counties. It’s moving from red to purple. Many more people voted for the abortion amendment— which Jerrad Christian backed and Troy Balderson was adamantly opposed to— than anyone thought would happen. It won in Delaware, Licking, Fairfield and Athens counties and lost in the small rural counties: Tuscarawas, Muskingum, Knox, Perry, Guernsey, Holmes, Coshocton and Morgan counties. I asked Jerrad what his thinking was for spending a precious campaign day in Holmes County. Here’s what he told me:
“Last week I took a trip to the Holmes County Fair. It’s a place where the sense of community runs deep and people of faith are many. This is where I decided to do something a little different— I sat at the Republican Party table.
“It’s no secret that in today’s political climate, conversations across the aisle can feel like walking into a storm. But I didn’t sit down with the intention of debating or changing minds. I sat down to listen, to share, and to find the threads that bind us together as people who care about our families, our communities, and our country.
“As we talked to the good people of the county, I heard stories that felt familiar— stories of hard work, of families doing their best to get by, of pride in a job well done, and the desire for a better future for our children. We talked about the importance of faith, the value of helping a neighbor in need, and the shared belief that everyone deserves a fair shot in life.
“What struck me the most was how much we actually agreed on when we set aside the labels and talked about what truly matters. We might approach problems differently, but the problems themselves? They’re the same ones we all face— rising costs, access to quality healthcare, and the need for strong schools where our kids can thrive.
“It was a reminder that, deep down, we’re not as divided as we might think. We all want to feel safe in our communities, to have the opportunity to succeed, and to leave the world a little better than we found it. And that’s something worth remembering, especially in a time when it feels like we’re more divided than ever. By the end of my time there, they were introducing me to the folks that walked up to the table. I feel confident I won some votes that day. Many people don’t vote party lines and told me as much. They were happy to have a chance to be heard and be a part of something that can make their communities better.
“There is real value in reaching out. Stepping out of our comfort zones isn’t easy. It’s putting ourselves in places where we might feel a little out of place, where the conversations might be challenging, and where we might not agree on everything— or anything. My mantra through this has been that I have to have 100,000 uncomfortable conversations. But that’s how change happens; by being loud, being unafraid, and by doing it all with love.”
In case you missed it, yesterday, we asked readers to consider chipping in for the post cards Jerrad is sending to as many people, regardless of party, he raises the money to do. Take a look and let’s help get this guy into Congress.
As he observes, IF we can set aside labels, we do have an awful lot in common. Most of what we have in common is what we have NOT gotten from either party for several decades.
And, in spite of the bipartisan ratfucking, we STILL, relentlessly vote for one party or the other.
Two things become clear:
labels are far more important than issues, interests and the constant bipartisan ratfucking
all voters are dumber than shit.
That said, if he can venture into hell and turn even 500 voters around, it could be the difference between a loss and failing to lose. That's a lesson that was totally lost on $hillbillary, who lost. We'll see if anyone learns from tha…