DCCC Chairman, Ben Ray Luján released the following statement:
“Betsy Rader is heading into the general election with incredible Democratic momentum behind her. A civil rights lawyer and lifelong Ohioan, Betsy has centered her campaign on the hardworking families of Ohio’s 14th Congressional District. Betsy is ready to give Dave Joyce the fight of his life, and she’s well-positioned to win this race in November.”
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To: Interested Parties
From: Amanda Sherman, DCCC Regional Press Secretary
Date: May 8, 2018
RE: The Case Against Dave Joyce
Rep. Dave Joyce is a career politician who has lost touch with the hardworking families of Ohio’s 14th Congressional District. Joyce has spent his time in office voting for a tax scam that gives a huge tax break to the wealthy and big corporations, siding with his corporate backers, and avoiding his constituents. As a creature of the Washington Swamp, it is little wonder that Joyce feels so out of place in his swing district that he has refused to hold a single public in-person town hall this term.
Betsy Rader, meanwhile, has centered her grassroots campaign on the hardworking American families Dave Joyce has left behind. After working in the healthcare industry, including for the Cleveland Clinic and Medicare and Medicaid Services, Betsy knows the importance of access to quality, affordable healthcare. Betsy’s experience in the private sector and working to build and grow local businesses, has fueled her commitment to fighting for more economic opportunity and better paying jobs.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
Cook Political Report: New House FEC Reports: Rating Changes in 7 Districts [April 18, 2018]
[…] But, President Trump took just 53 percent here, and Democrats are looking at this district as a long-shot in a wave. Democrats are poised to nominate civil rights lawyer Betsy Rader, who outraised Joyce $277,000 to $244,000 in the first quarter.
CNN: House Key Race alerts: Paul Ryan’s and six other seats move toward Democrats [April 11, 2018]
Democrat Betsy Rader doesn’t have a primary, giving her a clear shot at challenging GOP Rep. Dave Joyce in the 14th, home to the Cleveland and Akron suburbs. Like OH-12, this district has been more favorable to Democrats in previous elections than PA-18. Trump won it by 11 points in 2016, but Romney carried it by only three points in 2012.
Cleveland.com: Pennsylvania special election shows Ohio congressional districts could be competitive [March 15, 2018]
Joyce, a Republican from Bainbridge Township, looks like he could be in some trouble if the PA-18 election is any indication of how the midterms will go. […] The big tell for OH-14 is Trump’s 2016 margin of victory. Trump won by 11.5 percentage points, far less than the nearly 20 points in PA-18.
Joyce: An Out-of-Touch Career Politician
Swamp Creature
Despite a net worth three times greater than the median wealth of his colleagues, Joyce double-dips into the Ohio state pension system. Joyce collects a $60,000 pension per year from Geauga County, Ohio, on top of his $174,000 congressional salary. This brazen double-dipping perfectly encapsulates that Joyce is a career politician completely out of touch with the concerns of hardworking families in his district.
In his 5 years as a United States Congressman, Joyce has used his position to travel around the world on privately-funded luxury trips to Botswana, Las Vegas, and Florida. Joyce is funded by special interests and beholden to wealthy donors: he has received more than $103,650 from insurance companies and $151,770 from finance and security and investments interests. It’s therefore no surprise he’s voted to cut taxes for the top 1% and hasn’t taken any action to address the rising cost of prescription drugs.
Voted for the GOP Tax Scam at the Expense of Ohioans
Dave Joyce put the interests of the Republican party establishment, large corporations, and wealthy donors over his constituents by voting to give them huge tax giveaways in the GOP tax scam. Joyce’s tax scam gives 83% of its benefits to the wealthiest 1% of Americans at the expense of millions of middle class families. If that weren’t bad enough, the Republican tax scam will cause healthcare premiums to skyrocket, and sets the stage for cuts to Medicare and Social Security. Joyce can try to spin the bill however he wants, but his constituents and local editorial boards know that this bill is a handout to corporations, banks, pharmaceutical companies that puts Medicare and Ohio’s higher education system at risk.
Sells Out In Washington, Refuses to Show Up In Ohio
Dave Joyce is a rubber stamp for the Washington establishment. Ohioans need an independent voice that listens to the concerns of his or her constituents. Rather than sticking up for the interests of his district, however, Joyce defers to the party line and has voted with the Republican establishment 93% of the time.
Even worse, after Joyce sells out in Washington, he refuses to show up in Ohio. The Town Hall Project has named Joyce a “Missing Member,” due to his refusal to hold or attend a public in-person town hall during his current term. Joyce’s unwillingness to be held accountable to his constituents has forced them to hold their own town halls, replacing Rep. Joyce with an empty chair. Joyce has even dodged high school students when they marched to his office asking for help keeping their schools safe. Neither Joyce nor a representative came down to meet with them.
THE PATH TO VICTORY
As a lifelong Ohioan and first-time candidate, Betsy Rader is an advocate for Northeastern Ohio and the opposite of a career politician like Joyce. Betsy has built a campaign centered on voters – not special interests or corporate donors – and is committed to fighting for affordable healthcare, lower prescription drug costs, good paying jobs, and quality public education. In a direct contrast to No-Show Joyce, Betsy Rader has taken Town Hall Project’s Town Hall Pledge, formalizing her commitment to be accessible to the people of Ohio’s 14th Congressional District.
Betsy has proven a strong fundraiser, after outraising Joyce in the first quarter of 2018, bringing in $276,755 to Joyce’s $244,485. Notably, Betsy has been able to build grassroots support for her campaign, with 82% of Betsy’s contributors giving contributions of less than $200. Betsy has the support and endorsement of key stakeholders including Senator Sherrod Brown, Ohio Senate Minority Leader Kenny Yuko, Emily’s List, and End Citizens United.
Until now, Democrats have not fielded a strong general election candidate against Joyce, leaving him largely untested. In a cycle where Democrats have enjoyed historic enthusiasm and momentum, Betsy Rader has positioned herself to capitalize on this favorable national climate. In light of Democrats’ victory in Pennsylvania’s 18th District Special Election, a district less favorable to Democrats than OH-14, it’s clear that momentum is growing towards Democrats. Tellingly, key non-partisan election forecasters including CNN, Sabato’s Crystal Ball, and Cook Political Report have all shifted their rating of the district away from Joyce since March.
Facing an independent, solution-oriented leaders like Betsy Rader, it’s clear that Dave Joyce is in for the fight of his career.