Senate candidate Tim Ryan makes campaign stop in New Philadelphia

NEW PHILADELPHIA — A candidate for the U.S. Senate talked about the importance of rebuilding America and rebuilding the middle class during a campaign stop Friday in New Philadelphia.

U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Niles, spoke to local Democrats at an event at the Daily Grind.

"We've got to rebuild our economy. We've got to build the United States," he said. "We've built Iraq, we've built Afghanistan, it's time to build the United States.

"We've got to invest in infrastructure, and we've got to rebuild our greatest weapon. And the greatest weapon we have in the United States is the great American middle class, where you can go out there and bust your rear end and work hard and you had some breathing room.

"You had a good retirement. You had healthcare. You had good benefits. You had enough money that you could vote for the school levy. You had enough money that you could throw it in the basket at church on Sunday. You have enough money that you could vote for the mental health levy or the library levy."

Thirty years later, average Americans don't always have the money for some of those things, which he said are necessary to have a thriving community.

Ryan, who is running for the seat being vacated by U.S. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, believes the country needs to bring back manufacturing and invest in local communities.

He also wants to position the United States so it can be competitive with China.

"They have a plan, they are executing it," he said. "They have a 10-year plan, they have 30-year plan, they have a 50-year plan, they have a 100-year plan. You come to the United States, and we live in a 24-hour news cycle. No long term planning, right?"

He noted that the infrastructure bill recently approved by Congress invests 1% of the nation's gross domestic product (GDP) in infrastructure.

Meanwhile, China spends 7% to 9% of its GDP on infrastructure, on things like high-speed rail that goes 300 mph, new airports, roads and bridges, he said.

Ryan said America can beat China.

"We can do it. This is what we do," he said. "But we can't sit here and have fights about Dr. Seuss and Big Bird and anti-science. We can't fight about all this stuff. We've got to figure out a game plan, boom, boom, boom, so that we can get these facilities built here in Ohio. And Ohio, I believe, is primed to do it.

"How do we possibly out-compete a country of 1.4 billion people when our kids have to drive to a McDonald's to download their homework because they don't have access to adequate high speed internet?

"We've got to invest into our people and we'll beat anybody."

Ryan said he thinks he can win in a state that is heavily Republican.

"The people in Ohio are very pragmatic. They want problem solvers," he said following the event. "They're great people who want to solve the issues of the day.

"They want someone independent who's going to stand up to their own party. I've run against Nancy Pelosi (for Speaker of the House), I've gotten in fights with Bernie Sanders, I've taken on Republicans. I'm from the Mahoning Valley, we're scrappy and we do what we think is best for our people. That's the kind of legislator I've been for 20 years.

"Most Ohioans are independent minded, and I think they want an independent-minded senator. That's what they're going to get with me."

Gary Erwin, a member of the Tuscarawas County Democratic Party Executive Committee, said he was pleased with the turnout for the event.

"I think it's a great opportunity for us as working people in Tuscarawas County to get a guy like Tim Ryan who has been in the House for 20 years, has a working class background and he'll be a good contrast and he's got a good track record when it comes time to vote," Erwin said.

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Senate candidate Tim Ryan makes campaign stop in New Philadelphia