COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) watched Wednesday’s presidential election from his home in Cleveland, which he said was the safest place to be due to the pandemic and the heightened security on Capitol Hill.
He said he was happy with what he heard: President Biden’s focus on bringing the country together.
“I think you will see a beginning of healing,” Brown said. “I think it puts a lot of responsibility, though, on those Republican members of Congress that have, just day-by-day, done the bidding of President Trump and always defended his most divisive statements, even the attack by terrorists on the Capitol.”
As the Biden Administration launches an ambitious plan to roll out the COVID-19 vaccine and rebuild the economy, Brown said the Senate must deal with fallout from the insurrection and months of a false narrative perpetuated by President Trump.
“I wish every member of Congress would look into the camera, in Columbus or Omaha or anywhere else, and say, ‘Joe Biden is a legitimately-elected president.'” Brown said. “‘There was no voter fraud. This was one of the safest, fairest elections in American history, and what the President of the United States said simply wasn’t true.’ If they would do that, it would begin to unify this country.”
The Republican who tried to unseat Sherrod Brown, former Congressman Jim Renacci, is one of the most ardent supporters of Donald Trump in Ohio. Instead of talking about unity, Renacci said Ohio needs to look out for itself.
“If you notice, he is going to spend a lot of money,” Renacci said of President Biden. “I remember going to Congress in 2009 when 10 trillion dollars in debt was too much. And now we are going to cross over 30 trillion, headed to 35 trillion. I’m telling you how the state of Ohio has to work best with the Federal Government: it has to start making itself stronger.”
Renacci said Ohio must be less dependent on Washington, and he is launching what he calls “a campaign for change.” There’s much speculation that this “campaign” is a lead-up to his candidacy for Ohio governor. If so, he would face fellow Republican Mike DeWine in the primary.