Former Veep Biden returning to Valley to campaign for Cordray

Next week is the final full week before the Nov. 6 general election – and it will be a busy one.

First, former Vice President Joe Biden, a Democrat, will headline a Monday rally at the Chestnut Room at Youngstown State University’s Kilcawley Center.

The event is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. with doors opening at 3 p.m. It’s not a ticketed event and is open to the public.

Biden is coming here in support of Rich Cordray, the Democratic nominee for governor.

The campaign said Biden will talk about Cordray’s focus on “putting more money back in the pockets of middle-class families by lowering healthcare costs, expanding vocational training and spreading economic opportunity around the state.”

Cordray – who has touted those “kitchen-table issues” during his campaign against Republican Mike DeWine – will be at the rally along with his lieutenant governor running mate Betty Sutton.

I’ve been to many political rallies at YSU and it’s not an ideal location for such events.

There are parking issues and other logistical concerns.

Biden is a solid speaker, but he hasn’t drawn huge crowds during his many visits to the Mahoning Valley. And he’s been here a lot.

Biden visited the area three times in 2008 when he was running as Barack Obama’s vice presidential running mate during their first successful campaign.

He campaigned in 2010 on behalf of then-Gov. Ted Strickland, a Democrat who lost re-election that year to Republican John Kasich.

Biden visited the area three times in 2012 during his and Obama’s re-election campaign.

He was last here in 2016 on behalf of Hillary Clinton, the unsuccessful Democratic nominee for president that year.

After the YSU rally, Biden will attend a fundraiser for Cordray at the Lake Club in Poland.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan of Urbana, R-4th, will be the headliner for the Mahoning County Republican Party Chairman’s Fall Dinner and Reception at the Georgetown, 5945 South Ave. in Boardman.

Jordan is planning to run later this year for House Republican leader. He is considered one of the most conservative members of the House, and helped create the House Freedom Caucus, serving as its first chairman.

Jordan also sits on the House Judiciary Committee, and the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, where he serves as chairman of the Subcommittee on Health Care, Benefits and Administrative Rules.

U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson of Marietta, R-6th, who represents the southern part of Mahoning County, will also be at the dinner.

There is a VIP reception at 5:15 p.m. with a general reception at 6 p.m. and dinner to follow at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets to the VIP reception and dinner are $150 a person and $250 a couple. Tickets to the general reception and dinner are $60 per person and $100 per couple.

You can make online reservations by going to www.mahoningcountygop.com/online-event-registration-and-sales or mail a check to: Mahoning County Republican Party, P.O. Box 9012, Youngstown, Ohio 44513.

Also, the only debate between U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Howland, D-13th, and Republican Chris DePizzo of Cuyahoga Falls will be at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at LaBrae High School in Leavittsburg.

DePizzo tried to get Ryan to commit to 12 debates a few weeks after the May primary, but the incumbent didn’t respond.

Ryan has appeared at candidate forums during this campaign.

This will be his first congressional debate since 2002, the first time he ran for the House seat.