Rep. Jeffrey Crossman (D-Parma) doesn’t have statewide name recognition but he’s thinking that might work to his advantage. He thinks Ohioans will be able to relate to him.
“I’m an everyday Ohioan. I wasn’t born with a law degree. I grew up in a small town outside Cleveland and I watched my mom raise three kids on meager earnings, try to keep food on the table, and keep a roof over our heads,” Crossman said.
Ohio's filing deadline for candidates is less than two months away. When asked why he didn’t announce sooner, Crossman said he’s been busy dealing with an issue Democrats plan to talk up next year - corruption at the Statehouse. It's something Crossman plans to talk about during the campaign.
"I think Ohio's are ready to hear a message. I think we'll hear a message of accountability for the folks that are costing them hundreds of thousands of dollars every single day as a remnant of House Bill 6, the nuclear bailout scandal continues to persist," Crossman said.
Crossman said Republican Attorney General Dave Yost hasn't done enough to hold First Energy and the players in the scandal accountable, especially when it comes to criminal investigation and prosecution.
Crossman himself received campaign money from First Energy that he said was unsolicited. He said he has since donated that money to charities that help low-income Ohioans pay their electric bills and calls on Yost and his fellow Republicans to do the same.
In a written statement, the Ohio Republican Party tied Crossman to President Joe Biden’s policies on vaccine mandates and immigration. It also said, as a Biden delegate, Crossman is responsible for them.
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