The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Midterm elections evoke mixed reactions from voters
Reactions from Lorain County voters were mixed on the Nov. 6 midterm general election in the gubernatorial and U.S. Senate races and on Issue 1, which was a constitutional amendment that would have made drug possessions and use as misdemeanors.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike DeWine won the election by garnering 2,187,619, or 50.7 percent of the votes statewide as opposed to his Democratic challenger Richard Cordray, who received 2, 005,627, or 46.4 percent of the votes, according to unofficial results.
Cordray, however, won Lorain County with 57,039, or 51 percent of the votes compared to DeWine who had 51,037, or 46 percent of the votes, according to unofficial results.
Atti Stafford, a Lorain County Community College student from Vermilion, said she was disappointed but not surprised that her candidate, Cordray, did not win.
“Ohio’s been a big red state for a while,” Stafford said. “It would take a lot for it to turn blue.”
“I voted for the Libertarian (candidate Travis Irvine),” said Ethlyn Kennedy of North Ridgeville. “I didn’t expect him to win, but was not pleased with any of the candidates on the ballot.”
Irvine received 77,184, or 1.7 percent of the votes, according to unofficial results.
Dave Zupan, an Avon Lake precinct committeeman, said he was not surprised Cordray and his running mate, Betty Sutton, lost.
Zupan said Cordray has statewide name recognition, but it is quite negative.
“This happened (when Cordray) worked under (former Ohio Gov. Ted) Strickland who spent the state into debt,” he said.
Bill Poplar, a precinct election official and a Lorain resident, said, “When I got home from the polls at 9 o’clock, DeWine was losing, but I didn’t expect Cordray to win.”
Michael Ragnoni, a Vermillion resident, was not elated with DeWine’s victory.
“DeWine’s win will have a terrible effect on the elderly,” said Ragnoni, who voted for Cordray. “We need faces that stand up for union jobs and the working class of America.”
But, Noel Reyes, of Lorain, who supported DeWine, is pleased with the election outcome.
“He is going to do a good job and that is why I chose him,” Reyes said.
Meagan Helmick, of Oberlin, has a different view.
Helmick was upset that DeWine won.
“I think it’s stupid,” she said. “Trump is already making things go downhill.”
U.S. Senate race — Sherrod Brown vs. Jim Renacci
Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown handily defeated his Republican challenger Jim Renacci, 2,286,730 (53 percent) to 2,011,837 (47 percent).
Brown’s victory is reflected in Lorain County’s unofficial results with him garnering 65,444 (59 percent) votes to Renacci’s 45,249 (41 percent) votes.
“Sherrod Brown has been in office much too long, and I don’t know why people still vote for him,” Kennedy said.
She related back to 2011 when Brown was speaking out against the coal industry.
“I’m not surprised that he won,” said Kimberly Gallagher, an LCCC student from Vermilion. “Though I was surprised how close it was.”
Zupan said he was disappointed Brown won and called the Senator a socialist.
“It’s really difficult to beat an incumbent in the Senate,” he said. “People deserve the government they get because they vote for it.”
Ashley Thomas, an Elyria resident, was happy Brown won.
Although this is his third term, Thomas hopes Brown can finally bring some change to Ohio.
But, James Stone was upset that Renacci lost the election.
“I don’t think or believe Sherrod can actually change things,” Stone said. “He hasn’t done it yet, so why does he deserve another term in office?”
Grafton resident Danielle Corrin disagreed.
“I will say, however, that I am happy Sherrod Brown won (his) Senate (seat),” Corrin said. “I voted for Brown because I feel his take on the issues are better suited than his opponents were.”
Issue 1
Another prominent item on the ballot was Issue 1.
“I was for it [the amendment],” Stafford said. “I’m really sad. I wish we could help fix the justice system.
“I wish we could tackle the drug problems by decriminalizing drug possession and help tackle opioids in society.”
About 63 percent (2,716,958) Ohioans voted against Issue 1 as opposed to 37 percent (1,568,347).
And 66 percent (73,142) of Lorain County residents voted no as opposed to 34 percent (37,809) yes votes, according to unofficial results.
“I voted ‘no’,” Poplar said. “There were things that couldn’t be overcome, like the 20 grams of fentanyl.”
He said he thought there was motivation to support the amendment because convicted felons would get out of jail and couldn’t find jobs.
They often return to jail after committing more crimes, Poplar said.
Gallagher said she was disheartened by the loss on Issue 1, but not surprised and indicated the margins were large.
Similar views were expressed by Ragnoni.
“Individuals convicted for nonviolent drug related crimes should get help and not take up the space needed for violent criminals,” he said.
Milan resident Norma Bias also supported Issue 1.
“Our prisons should be filled with real criminals like murderers and not people with addictions,” Bias said. “Why wouldn’t we want more space for violent criminals in our prisons?” Corrin agreed. “We’re never going to progress if people keep rejecting new ideas such as issue 1,” she said. “I voted yes because I think bringing drug charges down from a felony to a misdemeanor will limit the amount of people sent to prison for these kinds of things.”
Corrin said she believes Ohio’s prisons already are overcrowded and that the money it takes to feed and shelter prisoners instead can be used to help people with drug problems.
But, an Elyria voter who is satisfied with the results of this election is 28-yearold Tim Smith.
“I voted against Issue 1, and for a good reason,” Smith said. “I know too many people who have died before they were 30 because of the heroin epidemic. Drug offenses should be taken as seriously as possible.”
Olmsted Falls resident Jack Warning said it was difficult to get reliable information on what each candidate really stood for, but he always had voted Democratic.
Warning said he was happy Issue I went down along with Brown winning.
Likewise, Christopher Gross, an Olmsted Township resident, voted Democratic.
Gross said he was unhappy with the previous Republican representation because of specific reductions on women’s rights.
“I feel it is imperative to vote Democrat to put a check in place for what is happening in our government right now with Republicans in full control of the Senate, the House and the presidency,” he said.
LCCC Journalism students Angela Andujar, Kirsten Hill, Samuel Doll, Camryn Moore, Valerie Mankin, Oscar Rosado, Jayne Giese and Jadaskye Curry contributed to this article.