Democrat Senator Loses Police Support After 12 Years
For the first time in twelve years, Ohio Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown has lost the backing of a significant police union in his state, as reported on Saturday.
The New York Post reported that the Ohio Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) has withdrawn its endorsement of Brown, who has been in the Senate for a dozen years. This decision followed a tweet Brown made about a controversial police shooting, which was cited as the primary reason for the change.
Following the 2021 shooting of 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant by Columbus police, Brown took to Twitter to voice strong criticism of the incident, linking it to broader issues of police violence highlighted during the Derek Chauvin trial. His tweet and subsequent comments appeared to heavily influence the FOP's decision, according to the report.
Mike Weinman, a spokesperson for the Ohio FOP, stated that many members were disheartened by Brown’s immediate reaction to the event.
“It came down to a tweet,” Weinman remarked, as reported by the New York Post. “There was a shooting here, and instead of taking time to listen and engage with us to understand the situation, Sherrod immediately took to his phone. Brown made a comment. It’s disappointing.”
The Post noted that Brown’s endorsement missed approval by just four votes during a floor vote. The report also mentioned that Brown’s Republican opponent, Bernie Moreno, did not secure the FOP endorsement either, mainly due to procedural issues and his limited political experience, not his political views.
The withdrawal of FOP support occurs at a crucial moment for Brown, who remains a prominent Democrat in an increasingly Republican state, as highlighted by The Post. Although Brown currently leads over Moreno, losing support from key organizations like the FOP could impact the outcome of his re-election campaign.
Meanwhile, in California, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) is in a tight race for a U.S. Senate seat against former Major League Baseball star and Republican candidate Steve Garvey.
California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Laphonza Butler to the U.S. Senate following the death of Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein in September of last year. The winner of a special election in November will fill the remaining two months of Feinstein’s term. Additionally, voters will choose who will serve the subsequent six-year term in a separate ballot item. This means voters can select one candidate for the short term in the special election and another for the full six-year term in the regular election.
The California U.S. Senate race is already among the most expensive in the state’s history.
“Only one new poll was released in June, showing virtually no change since May. According to the June 2024 PPIC poll, Schiff is leading Garvey 62% to 37%. However, as previously noted, PPIC polls should be taken with a grain of salt. The more accurate Berkeley IGS poll is due soon, as are others, which should provide a clearer picture,” reported the California Globe.
Schiff and Garvey have been actively fundraising, as noted by ABC News.
“Schiff has significantly out-raised his opponents. Federal Election Commission filings show that as of the end of March, the Democrat had raised nearly $35 million, while Garvey has raised about $5.5 million,” USA Today reported.