Statehouse News Bureau

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Ohio GOP Chair Doubts Dems' Suburban Strategy For 2020

By Andy Chow

Published October 16, 2019 at 9:25 PM EDT

2020 Democratic Presidential Debate held inside the Rike Center at Otterbein University. Democrats say suburbs like Westerville are starting to swing blue. [Andy Chow] — 2020 Democratic Presidential Debate held inside the Rike Center at Otterbein University. Democrats say suburbs like Westerville are starting to swing blue.

The 2020 Democratic Presidential Debate in Westerville attracted a lot of attention on how the party could swing more suburbs in the state. But Ohio's Republican Party Chair Jane Timken questions that strategy.

Ohio Democrats say suburbs are starting to swing blue, which could signal a path for a presidential nominee to win the state.

But Jane Timken, chair of the Ohio Republican Party, was on Otterbein University's campus to counter that argument.

"I don't think it gets them there mathematically, if you look at the 2018 election results we won our statewide quite handily and that I think speaks volumes," says Timken.

Timken says Democrats’ plans would take over health care and raise taxes, and that Republicans have a more appealing platform.

But one issue that had a big role in the debate was impeachment, which at least one poll shows is gaining support among Democrats and independents.