COLUMBUS, Ohio — Democratic Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan, who usually cruises to re-election against nominal opposition, may have a viable Republican challenger next year.
With Wednesday’s candidate-filing deadline coming up, Mary Taylor, the former lieutenant governor from suburban Akron and Christina Hagan, a former Stark County state representative, have been speaking with party officials and others while they sound out a possible run for Congress.
In a statement, Taylor confirmed her interest in challenging Ryan.
“Reflecting on this past year away from elected office, I’ve found that my passion for public service is undiminished,” Taylor said. “Right now I’m keeping all my options open. If taking on Tim Ryan is the best way to serve the citizens of Northeastern Ohio, then that’s what I’m going to do.”
Hagan said she’s “been asked by many” to consider running against Ryan. Since leaving the legislature, Hagan said she’s been “a mother and a wife,” and currently serves at a nonprofit that assists “vulnerable women and unborn children” through a medical ministry.
“I am currently exploring whether that is what my constituents and the constituents of the area would have me do,” Hagan said. “My family and I will be together over the weekend discussing and prayerfully considering this important decision.”
Ryan, of the Youngstown area, spent much of this year running for president before dropping his bid in October.
He’s represented Ohio’s 13th congressional district since 2003, which is anchored in the Youngstown area, and drawn to be heavily Democratic. But the region has shifted more Republican in recent years, particularly since Donald Trump was elected president in 2016. That year, Ryan won re-election by 36 points, but in the presidential race, Democrat Hillary Clinton beat Trump by only 7 points, according to data compiled by The Daily Kos.
A handful of lower-profile Republican candidates also have filed to challenge Ryan, including Robert Santos and Duane Hennen of Youngstown.
Summit County Republican Party Chairman Bryan Williams said he thinks a well-funded Republican could have a shot against Ryan, given the president’s popularity in the area. And if they lose, they would be positioned for a strong run in 2022 when legislative lines are re-drawn.
“I can tell you I’ve had conversations with them,” Williams said, referring to Taylor and Hagan. “I’ve encouraged them to consider running, because I think they would both be competitive candidates. The degree to which they’re considering it, you’d have to get that from them.”
Columbiana County Republican Party Chairman Dave Johnson said he thinks Taylor would be the more formidable candidate to challenge Ryan, given her experience holding statewide office. Johnson’s county isn’t in the 13th District, but he holds outsize political sway in the area and with the state Republican Party.
“Somebody of Mary Taylor’s stature, who would attract campaign contributions to a much greater extent than past candidates have, could make this a real dog race,” he said.
Ryan issued a statement that said he’s proud of the work he’s done and “the hundreds of millions” of federal dollars he’s brought back to the congressional district.
“Elections are about citizens, not politicians," Ryan’s statement said. “I have strong relationships on both sides of the aisle; I work with both the business and labor communities; and I have supporters in every corner of this District and the State of Ohio. I very much look forward to defending my record."
Taylor is a former Green councilwoman and state representative who served as John Kasich’s lieutenant governor from 2011 to 2019. She ran for governor, but lost in the 2018 Republican primary to current Gov. Mike DeWine.
Hagan served in the state legislature from 2011 to 2019, when she ran to run for Ohio’s 16th congressional district. But she lost in the May Republican primary to Anthony Gonzalez, who went on to win the November election and now represents the district.
Jai Chabria, a Republican political consultant, said given the changes in the Mahoning Valley and out elsewhere in the district, a strong Republican candidate would have a shot at unseating Ryan.
“You have to be well-financed, you have to be disciplined candidate message-wise, but there’s definitely an opportunity there,” he said.