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The Democratic National Committee chairman here June 9 in Boardman
BOARDMAN
Tom Perez, the Democratic National Committee chairman, will be in Boardman on June 9 to meet with Mahoning Valley Democrats to see why many of them voted for Republican Donald Trump and to discuss the party’s plans for 2018.
“He’s interested in coming here to find out the reasons why Democrats crossed over for Trump,” said David Betras, chairman of the Mahoning County Democratic Party. “He wants to talk to John Q. Public to talk about what can be done on a national basis to get Democrats to return to the party. He wants to know how we can make things better.”
Perez will be at Wedgewood Pizza, 6200 South Ave., from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 each and can be purchased online at go.ohiodemsorg/pizza-with-perez.
“I’m very excited to have him here and he’s excited to come here and talk to voters,” Betras said. “I really pushed to get him here. I want Democrats to go and talk to him. He wants to know how we can make things better. Naturally there’s an interest in the Valley because of the crossover voters for Trump.”
Normally a Democratic stronghold, the county narrowly voted for Hillary Clinton, the party’s presidential nominee in last November’s election, 49.9 percent to 46.6 percent.
In Trumbull County, also a reliable Democratic area, Trump beat Clinton 50.7 percent to 44.5 percent. It was the first time since 1972 a Republican won the presidency in that county.
The former secretary of labor under Democratic President Barack Obama, Perez was elected DNC chairman Feb. 25.
During last year’s presidential campaign, Perez stopped at the Western Reserve Building Trades hall in Boardman to stump for Clinton on Oct. 29.