Comments about “voter suppression” are surfacing to haunt Rep. Greg Landsman, D-Ohio, ahead of the midterm elections. Landsman used a discussion about his plan for “The Great American Comeback” to lash out against the Buckeye State, claiming it’s “ground zero for voter suppression.”
The comment came from when the congressman was taking questions at The City Club Forum in December.
What Did the Congressman Say?
During his remarks and while taking questions, the congressman discussed a plan to curtail what he described as “voter suppression.”
“Can you talk about how Ohio is informing your ‘Great American Comeback’ as a mostly red state [with] a lot of blue urban hubs? Do you think that the Buckeye State as a whole can find a common denominator, as you found with Strive[Partnership]? So, is there a great Ohio comeback?” the attendee asked, referring to Landsman’s efforts for two-year preschool in Cincinnati, which had bipartisan support.
After arguing that “Ohio is more purple than blue,” Landsman claimed it “feels different” due to “partisan gerrymandering,” which he criticized as “undemocratic” and “awful.”
Ohio’s redistricting committee approved new maps on a bipartisan basis last year. These maps made the 1st Congressional District, that Landsman represents, more competitive.
“It’s also ground zero for voter suppression,” Landsman went on to say, as he described Ohio’s driver’s license law as “absurd.”
“Ohio has this absurd driver’s license law. I mean, I don’t think people realize that a lot of people don’t have a driver’s license, or it’s expired, or the name on your driver’s license is different because you got married, or you go to vote and you forgot your driver’s license,” he continued.
Landsman also lamented concerns about “just purging hundreds of thousands of voters,” as he argued “they’re a specific kind of voter,” including black and Latino voters.
The congressman laughed off concerns about illegal immigrants voting as well, claiming “undocumented people aren’t trying to vote.”
Last October, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose referred 1,200 criminal cases to the Department of Justice, with 1,084 cases involving noncitizens appearing to have registered to vote in the state.
Not a ‘Common Denominator’
The attendee’s question focused on “common ground” and did not mention “partisan gerrymandering” or “voter suppression.”
This lack of “common ground” with Landsman’s response went noticed by the Republican Party.
“The facts are clear: commonsense voter ID laws are widely supported by Ohioans and are critical to protecting election integrity. Voter ID simply ensures that only eligible American citizens can vote by requiring proof of citizenship and strengthening election protections nationwide. Greg Landsman can’t fool Ohioans with his fake, fearmongering rhetoric,” RNC Spokesman Hunter Lovell exclusively told The Daily Signal.
In contrast to Landsman’s remarks, several Ohio Republicans praised their state’s system as a “model” when speaking to The Daily Signal last week.
Voters also appear to be at odds.
Landsman last month voted against the SAVE America Act. Polling from Heritage Action shows Ohio voters support provisions in the bill.
On “requiring proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections,” 71% of voters agreed, including 55% of Democrats. Additionally, 69% of voters, including 55% of Democrats, support “requiring states to remove non-citizens from voter registration rolls.”
Heritage Action’s Stefani E. Buhajla, who directed the poll, took issue with Landsman’s claims.
“Voter suppression is watering down the legal votes of law-abiding Americans by allowing ineligible ballots to be cast and counted in our elections,” she told The Daily Signal. “So, I think it is safe to say the honor of being ‘ground zero for voter suppression’ most certainly belongs to Minnesota, which, among other deficiencies, has no voter ID requirement whatsoever. Rep. Landsman advocating for Ohio to adopt the Tim Walz approach to election integrity is a losing proposition.”
By 77%, Ohio voters also agreed to a ballot initiative in 2022 that amended the state constitution to require citizenship in order to vote in a state or local election.
An Opportunity for the Right to Respond
While Landsman once held an advantage before the new maps, his race is now regarded as a “Toss-Up.”
Steven Erbeck, who is running as a Republican to represent the 1st, echoed the sentiments many Ohioans share about their state’s system.
“Ohioans care deeply about election integrity, and Ohio voters overwhelmingly support Voter ID. When Democrats like Greg Landsman label basic election security as ‘voter suppression,’ it’s not grounded in reality, and it distracts from a serious conversation Ohioans expect their elected leaders to have,” he told The Daily Signal.
Another Republican candidate, Eric Conroy, highlighted other policy disagreements with Landsman.
“From defunding the police to defunding ICE to allowing biological males in girls’ sports to now opposing the SAVE Act requiring common sense policies like photo ID to vote and proof of citizenship to register to vote, Greg Landsman is a reliable vote for radical liberal policies. He isn’t a moderate. He’s a a California-style radical liberal,” Conroy told The Daily Signal.
The Daily Signal reached out to Landsman’s congressional office and campaign but did not hear back.
