Ryan to make first local appearance as presidential candidate

By GRAIG GRAZIOSI

ggraziosi@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Howland, D-13th, will make his first local appearance as a presidential candidate Saturday in downtown Youngstown.

A rally to support Ryan’s candidacy for president will take place in front of the Youngstown Business Incubator, 241 W. Federal St., at 2 p.m. Gates will open to attendees at 1 p.m. and parking can be found at 311 W. Federal.

Entrance gates will be at Federal Street and Symphony Place and Federal Street and South Hazel Street.

Metal detectors will be used at the gates and weapons of any kind, laser pointers, air horns, noisemakers, large backpacks and other items deemed “dangerous” are prohibited.

The first 300 attendees will receive a free T-shirt. Free food and drinks will be available from 1 to 2 p.m.

Ryan announced his candidacy Thursday morning during an appearance on ABC’s “The View” and earlier in the week during an editorial board meeting with The Vindicator.

On Friday, Ryan appeared on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” where he discussed his foreign-policy credentials, middle-class voters and how he plans to deal with President Donald Trump in his messaging.

Ryan accused Russia of stoking political division in the country and called for greater economic competition with China.

“Domestically we have a cultural rift in the U.S., when we’re so divided in the U.S., Russia comes in and throws gas on our cultural fires. It could be Colin Kaepernick kneeling – it could be a school shooting, an incident between a cop and a young black kid – Russia comes in and makes sure they immediately put Americans in one camp or the other,” he said.

Ryan argued that in order to compete with China globally, the U.S. needed a “robust economy” that is focused on rebuilding the middle class.

“The reality of it is that [middle-class American’s] issues are wages, health care, pensions, retirement security – that’s what the vast majority of Americans care about, on the coast, too,” Ryan said. “It doesn’t mean you need to cede ground on progressive issues – on guns, on choice, on immigration – but when you’re talking to a voter you need to listen and talk to them about what’s important to them. [U.S. Sen.] Sherrod Brown has this – the dignity of work.

“People just want an opportunity, and if we’re so divided we can’t prove those opportunities.”

When pressed whether his race and gender might negatively impact his chances, Ryan replied that while he didn’t “think we need another white guy as president,” the party did need a president who would be representative of the “working class.”

Later, Ryan addressed members of the National Action Network, a civil-rights organization, during its 2019 national convention.