04/10/02
Customers sat along the bar, drinking and conversing, while others played pool in the back at Glory Days bar last Wednesday night. It was early in the evening and relatively calm. The energy in the room exploded, however, when a tall, dark-haired man in a suit entered the bar, and a group of supporters in dark green shirts cheered its candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives.
Tim Ryan, a 28-year-old state senator, met with potential voters at Glory Days on South Water Street to garner support for his campaign to get the Democratic nomination in the May 7 primary election. Ryan, who currently represents Geauga and Trumbull counties in the state Senate, wants to represent the newly redrawn 17th district in the U.S. House.
Because Ohio's population, according to the 2000 Census, did not grow as quickly as the populations of other states, the number of Ohio representatives to the U.S. House dropped from 19 to 18. The 17th district, which had comprised the Youngstown and Warren areas, has been stretched west through most of Portage County and into the eastern part of Summit County.
Ryan explained his stop at Glory Days as a way to reach out to younger voters, who he said have been the driving force in his campaign and one of the main reasons he became interested politics.
"I think the average age of the people working on my campaign is about 23," Ryan said.
One of Ryan's young supporters at Glory Days was Jeremy Broadwater, who was recently elected to serve as Undergraduate Student Senate executive director next year. Broadwater said he met Ryan through the area's Democratic Party and liked his stance on many issues, specifically education.
"[Ryan] has already been doing a lot in Columbus to support students," Broadwater said. "He's really reaching out to students with his campaign efforts."
Ryan, who was elected to the state Senate in 2000, became seriously interested in politics after graduating from college and watching his old friends leave the area to find jobs. Ryan said the communities within the new district need to build around historically strong industrial bases and bring in technology-oriented jobs that will keep young people in the area.
Ryan said he would also like to see projects in the district that increase the overall quality of life.
"We need to build bike trails and recondition old movie theaters and amphitheaters to make young people want to stay in the communities," Ryan said.
Mike Beder, the owner of Glory Days, said the main reason he allowed Ryan to campaign at Glory Days is because the event was geared toward students.
"The bar is a neutral site where students can feel comfortable and get to [Ryan]," Beder said. "He's not just talking from behind a podium."
Beder said he also liked that Ryan's campaign workers brought voter registration forms with them.
Entertainment for the evening was provided by Jeff Schmutz, the lead singer of the Pittsburgh-based band, Good Brother Earl. With his acoustic guitar, Schmutz played Good Brother Earl originals along with a few covers.
The entire band, who met Ryan through mutual friends, actually played for some of Ryan's campaign functions when he ran for state Senate in 2000.
"He's just a young, charismatic guy, and we wanted to help him out," Schmutz said.
Ryan's charisma might best be illustrated by the fact that the members of Good Brother Earl support him in spite of the fact that none of the Pennsylvania natives are registered to vote in Ohio.
One of Ryan's biggest obstacles to winning the May primary might be Tom Sawyer. Sawyer currently represents the 14th district, which comprises most of Summit County and the western part of Portage County, in the U.S. House.
"The biggest obstacle will be overcoming the money [Sawyer] has," Ryan said. "He'll have contributions from major corporations, and we'll have to concentrate a strong grassroots campaign."
Ryan said he's not really concerned with incumbency beyond issues dealing with money and contributions. Because of redistricting, 80 percent of the new 17th district falls outside of Sawyer's current district. Ryan said he is also encouraged because 41 percent of the new district falls within his current state Senate district.
In addition to drawing young people to his district, Ryan said he also wants to put an end to the corruption that has existed in the Youngstown area in the past, referring to the actions of Rep. James Traficant. Whether Ryan makes it to the U.S. House or not, he said he has been excited to see so many young people get involved with his campaign and, more importantly, politics in general.
"If I can't make the changes that need to be made," Ryan said, "maybe one of these young people can."
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David Fischer
Daily Kent Stater