43
Son of Warren councilman carries on family tradition
The Vindicator (Youngstown)
Photo
Warren native George Brown, 26, works for Republican U.S. Sen. Rob Portman of Cincinnati. His father, John Brown, a Democrat, is a Warren councilman.
By Ed Runyan
WARREN
George Brown says he doesn’t know whether his upbringing was much different from anyone else’s, but it’s a fair bet that it focused a bit more on politics and public service than most.
George, 26, was a toddler when his father, John Brown, was first elected to Warren City Council in 1986. George was 5 when his dad left council in 1990. Since early last year, John Brown has been back on council.
In between those two terms, George took a shot at public office himself. As a 20-year-old communications major at Youngstown State University, George ran for council in 2005, losing by two votes to Andy Barkley in the general election. George graduated from Harding High School in 2003.
Although John is a lifelong Democrat, George ran as a Republican.
And though fathers and sons don’t always agree, both Browns are firm believers that the labels Democrat and Republican don’t matter as much as most people think.
“I think politics are much too partisan today, and that gets us into the gridlock that we are getting into right now on the state and federal level,” John Brown said recently.
Those remarks sound like ones from George Brown’s new boss — Republican U.S. Sen. Rob Portman of Cincinnati, who said in a speech to the Senate March 16 that a “fierce partisan battle” was being waged on the floor of the Senate that week over issues relating to less than 1 percent of federal spending.
Portman has railed against “reckless government spending that threatens to extinguish the American dream,” but as the son of a small businessman, he has also focused extensively on creating jobs by encouraging business owners to take economic risks and make private investments.
As for George, he says going to work for Portman after the retirement of his former employer, Sen. George Voinovich, has been an opportunity to take part in something he and his family value: public service.
“The great thing is in the position with Sen. Portman and the official senate office is that all partisan politics are put aside and that’s really the refreshing thing about a position like this,” George said during a recent interview. “Being with Sen. Portman, party politics plays no role in my job.”
George Brown worked four years as Cleveland field representative for Voinovich from 2006 through 2010 and made the transition to Portman’s field office in Cleveland when Portman was elected in November.
As field representative, George Brown meets with constituents throughout Northeast Ohio. He came to the Mahoning Valley recently to attend the Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber’s annual meeting in Boardman to learn as much as possible about what is happening here.
Brown says being a field representative for a Republican in a Democratic stronghold isn’t an issue.
“It plays no role in Senator Portman’s mind of receiving input, of working with folks, with meeting with individuals — Republican, Democrat, Independent,” George Brown said.
Though Brown ran for office once and has worked in the political arena since graduating from Youngstown State University in 2007 with a political-science degree, he’s not making plans to put his own name on a campaign sign.
“I’m just very honored to be able to serve in the position I am for Sen. Portman and do the things I’m doing now, to make sure that the senator is aware of what’s happening in Northeast Ohio and let Northeast Ohioans know that Sen.Portman is very concerned of their thoughts and ideas,” Brown said. “I don’t know what I could say for my future. I’m just very happy and honored to have the opportunity where I am now. That’s where I am focused.”
As for John Brown, he’s proud of what his son has accomplished.
“He’s always been his own guy. He’s been a great son.”