A major House race was finally called on Wednesday, unfortunately, it was not a victory for the GOP. Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur came out the winner, securing her 22nd term in the House of Representatives after a tight race for Ohio’s 9th Congressional District. Man, 22 terms is way too long to be serving in Congress. Term limits, people. We need them. When our Founding Fathers created our government, they intended for the House of Representatives to be a revolving door with people serving only a short time as a public servant and then heading back out to the private sector.
Career politicians were not a thing being considered. And yet, here we are.
The Associated Press called the race at 1:02 p.m. EST on Wednesday, declaring Kaptur the winner over her Republican challenger, Republican state Rep. Derek Merrin. With nearly all precincts reporting, Kaptur held a narrow lead, securing 48.27% of the vote to Merrin’s 47.63%, a margin of just 2,382 votes. Libertarian candidate Tom Pruss garnered approximately 4%, further tightening the contest. Kaptur, the longest-serving woman in the history of the House, celebrated her victory in a district that was dramatically redrawn during the last round of redistricting, making it one of the most competitive in the nation. Her re-election ensures a Democratic hold on the district, even as Republicans solidify their majority in the House.
Hardcore ally of President-elect Donald Trump and four-term state representative, Merrin posed a major challenge due to the sharp contrasts in his campaign and that of his opponent. Now that the election has been called, Democrats hold 213 seats in the House while the GOP is in control with a slim majority of 218 seats.
Kaptur, 78, was considered to be one of the most at-risk incumbents in this cycle’s congressional races. And yet, for whatever strange reason, a bunch of numbskulls voted against their own interests and elected her…AGAIN. I just can’t figure some people out.
Anyway, her campaign was one of the most expensive this go around going over $23 million. While the race was not officially called, Kaptur announced victory on Nov. 6. Guess she was pretty confident in her chances.
“Tonight, the people of Ohio’s 9th District have spoken, and I am deeply grateful for the trust they have placed in me to continue fighting for working families, creating good-paying jobs, protecting healthcare for everyone, and securing Social Security and Medicare so Ohioans can retire with dignity,” Kaptur’s campaign went on to say in a statement. “This campaign has always been about the strength and resilience of our communities, and tonight we celebrate not just a victory but a renewed commitment to the belief that what America makes and grows, makes and grows America.”
Merrin has criticized Kaptur’s legislative achievements, noting that she has been the primary sponsor of only five enacted bills during her long tenure. He argued that these figures highlight the need for Kaptur to retire.
“Joe Biden had the decency to step down,” Merrin stated at a Saturday morning event. “Marcy Kaptur doesn’t have the decency to step down and let northwest Ohio have a representative that’s excited about going to work and can walk up the steps of the Capitol and deliver.”
Back in October, House Speaker Mike Johnson made an appearance at a rally in favor of Merrin. “This is seen by everybody around the country as what may be the best pickup opportunity we have to flip a blue seat to red,” Johnson went on to say.
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