If you watch Tim Ryan's ads or see his television appearances, the image he seeks to portray is that of a tough, working class, moderate, independent thinker who isn't beholden to either political party. That's the facade he attempted to maintain at last night's Ohio Senate debate, echoing similar themes. If you knew nothing about the man's record, the statement below might be appealing.
If you know anything about said record, however, it's a transparent and disingenuous pander:
Tim Ryan is attacking JD Vance for not standing up to Republican leaders the way he stands up to Dems: I've run against Nancy Pelosi. I've spoken out against Bernie Sanders. I've opposed Joe Biden. And I've agreed with Trump on a lot.
— James Hohmann (@jameshohmann) October 10, 2022
Alas, when push comes to shove, Ryan has voted literally 100 percent of the time for the Biden/Pelosi agenda. On every single vote -- every one -- Ryan has been a reflexive, leadership-saluting, partisan Democrat. No moderation, no independence. Total obedience. In a cutesy commercial he's running in the Buckeye State, Ryan likens politics to marriage, noting that even spouses disagree on things. Ryan may not see eye-to-eye with his wife on any number of issues, but he votes with Biden every single time. That's an extraordinary degree fealty. You can't run as Mr. Independent when your black-and-white voting record demonstrates that you're anything but. Ryan won't be caught in the same room with the president whose agenda he's unflinchingly advanced in the House of Representatives because that would further contradict the fable he's trying to tell about himself, but he let the mask slip at an event he did with Chuck Schumer, whom he called his future "boss:"
That's an amusing, if accidental, admission that neatly encapsulates his mentality in Congress. Biden and Pelosi have effectively acted as his bosses for years, as he votes for everything they tell him to. If he somehow gets himself elected to the Senate, his bosses won't be the people of Ohio, but rather a Senator from New York and a president that the voters of Ohio rejected by eight points in 2020. As for Monday's debate, just like Blake Masters torched Sen. Mark Kelly over the border in Arizona, J.D. Vance lit Ryan up on the issue:
JD VANCE: “Tim Ryan has done nothing to stop the flow of fentanyl. He talks about wanting to support a stronger border" and "get things done."
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 10, 2022
“Well, Tim, you’ve been in Congress for 20 years and the border problem has got worse and worse and worse.” pic.twitter.com/XmHUL8yZpB
And here's a Republican-aligned operative exposing the embarrassing hackery of a journalist's framing of Vance's answer on abortion:
More accurately: Asked about his views on abortion exceptions, JD Vance notes that he *does* believe in exceptions for rape like the horrific case of the 10 year old girl, also notes that her rapist was also an illegal immigrant who shouldn’t have been there in the first place. https://t.co/SqivU9QrLl
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) October 10, 2022
Tim Ryan's position on abortion? Don't even bother asking. Simply check Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden's position (like Biden, Ryan once claimed to be pro-life or very moderate on the issue, only to abandon those 'convictions' out of political expediency), and that's where he comes down. Namely, zero restrictions, up to birth, paid for by taxpayers. He wouldn't list a single limitation he would support when pressed on the question, and he voted for the barbaric and radical bill Pelosi shoved through the House -- because of course he did. It's what he does. I'll leave you with this:
Visual representation of Tim Ryan's voting record 💯🫡 pic.twitter.com/0Pmx33fRqf
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) October 11, 2022
UPDATE - This is spot on:
Tim Ryan on TV: “I don’t answer to ANY political party.”
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 10, 2022
Tim Ryan in DC: Votes with Biden and Pelosi 100% of the time.pic.twitter.com/JZMlMllna9
