(RoyalPatriot.com )- East Ohio’s Tim Ryan’s old street is a progressive haven in a working-class community struggling with deindustrialization and the opioid problem. Several of the 3,000 square foot or larger homes on North Rhodes Avenue display pride banners rather than the American flags that can be seen on lawns only a few blocks over.
Two blocks from where Ryan lived, retired forklift operator Carl Mymo said residents on Niles’ ostensibly affluent boulevard don’t care about issues like the city’s soaring gas prices. Mymo answered, “They can afford it.”
Mymo, a lifetime Democrat until last year when he changed his registration, pointed to bigger homes in the distance and said, “This is all Democrat, this area.” He said he switched from being a Democrat to supporting Republicans for everything after Trump. Ryan is no longer a favorite of his. He used to appreciate him, but now he just sees him as a typical politician.
Many locals referred to the town’s heyday when massive firms like General Electric employed thousands of people nearby or in the city. Since the Democratic Party enjoyed a resounding majority during those years, Ryan’s position remained secure for many years.
That is no longer the case. Now that many of the businesses and jobs have vanished. In Trumbull County, where Niles is located, one out of every four jobs vanished between 2000 and 2016. Ryan is also no longer there. He and his wife bought a 4,300-square-foot McMansion and then relocated north to Howland. The house was described as “beautiful on a secluded cul-de-sac” in a real estate listing before the sale. It has a three-car garage and granite countertops in the kitchen. According to U.S. Census data, his new town’s median income is nearly 50% more than Niles’.
His opponent, J.D. Vance, frequently accuses him of joining the protectionist movement. In Congress, Ryan consistently casts his vote with Biden.
In both 2008 and 2012, Trumbull County voted blue by a margin of 22 points. Recent voting patterns in the county have made it redder than the state of Ohio.
Trump became the first Republican since 1972 to triumph in nearby Mahoning County. The area used to be one of the bluest areas outside the cities. Voters in Trumbull County, Ohio, will be key to whether or not the GOP can maintain their victories in the rustbelt.
