“Every district deserves a representative who will hear their concerns and fight for them in Washington, and Theresa Gasper’s promise to do so has already connected with voters and created a clear contrast with her opponent,” said DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Luján. “As a successful businesswoman with deep ties to the community and a record of giving back, Theresa Gasper is ready to put this district into play this fall.”
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To: Interested Parties
From: Jacob Peters, DCCC Regional Press Secretary
Date: May 8, 2018
RE: The Case Against Rep. Mike Turner
In November, voters in Ohio’s Tenth Congressional District will have a clear choice between a candidate who understands the struggles and needs of working families in Southwest Ohio, and a career politician who doesn’t.
After more than 15 years in Washington, Rep. Mike Turner has become a permanent fixture of the D.C. swamp. Turner doesn’t even bother to show up and listen to Dayton families who are being left behind, let alone stand up for their values and needs in Congress. In fact, Turner has consistently let working families down – taking votes that give tax breaks to corporations and encourage them to ship jobs overseas, while making health care more expensive for Ohioans.
A fourth-generation Daytonian and small business owner, Theresa Gasper doesn’t just understand the struggles of hardworking families, she has lived them. Gasper grew up in a working family before building a telephone answering service into the largest business center in Dayton, helping other businesses in the district succeed and create jobs. Then she formed a company to reinvest in the community she grew up in, refurbishing homes that had fallen into disrepair after the housing crisis and helping to revitalize Dayton’s South Park neighborhood.
But Theresa also knows that now too many families are struggling to keep up and pay their bills even after working hard and doing everything right. Theresa can’t sit on the sidelines any longer – she is running for Congress to give Dayton families a representative who understands their struggles and has the courage to fight for them to create good-paying jobs and lower health care costs.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
Dayton Daily News: Dayton-area congressional district no longer ‘solid’ for GOP, report says
Columbus Dispatch: Democratic challengers outraise GOP congressmen in 4 districts in Ohio
“However, more recently, Turner has been the subject of unflattering headlines related to his ugly ongoing divorce from an energy lobbyist he married in 2015. Democrats believe they can turn Turner’s longevity in DC against him and won’t give him a pass in 2018. Theresa Gasper, an office solutions businesswoman whose foundation renovates dilapidated Dayton homes, will file with more than $200,000 raised in the first quarter.” [Cook Political Report 4/6/18]
“Turner, a former Dayton mayor who has been a very strong electoral performer — his district clearly leans Republican but it is more competitive than his easy reelection margins indicate — has had to deal with an ugly recent divorce, and businesswoman Theresa Gasper (D) outraised him last quarter.” [Sabato’s Crystal Ball 4/26/18]
Rep. Mike Turner: Absentee Congressman has Abandoned Families
Career Politician
After 15 years in Congress and decades as a politician, Rep. Mike Turner apparently doesn’t think he needs to show up anymore. Turner better understands the needs of lobbyists than his own constituents, and makes up excuses and attacks organizers rather than hold public town halls despite public outcry for access to their elected leaders. The pressure is only bound to increase. His constituents probably aren’t happy that Turner has racked in more than $2.3 million in a taxpayer-funded salary and voted to raise his own pay, yet still won’t do the most basic part of his job.
Puts Corporations Ahead of Workers
Turner has consistently put the needs of his corporate donors ahead of working families in Southwest Ohio. He supported the GOP Tax Scam that gives a huge handout to large corporations and incentivizes them to ship jobs overseas.
Gutted Health Care
Turner has voted 15 times to repeal the Affordable Care Act while he has been in Congress. He also voted for the GOP Tax Scam, which gutted one of the crucial pillars of the Affordable Care Act. As a result, Ohioans could see their premiums increase 17% next year and 26,300 fewer Ohioans in his district will have health care coverage.
THE PATH TO VICTORY
Mike Turner is in for a serious challenge. Theresa Gasper is an accomplished leader with deep ties to the district who is running a strong, well-funded campaign – a combination that Turner has not faced in some time. Gasper’s working class roots and successful business background give her the type of profile that can appeal to voters across the political spectrum, and provide a strong contrast to Turner’s decades in political office.
As national election analyst Kyle Kondik has noted, OH-10 is more competitive than Turner’s margins suggest. Two thirds of the district is suburban, and President Obama finished above 48% in the district twice. Senator Sherrod Brown narrowly won the district in 2012, and will be at the top of the ticket again in November. Brown’s brand dovetails well with Gasper’s, and appeals to the exact type of voters that are needed for a Democrat to carry this district.