Flip This Seat!

(Sorry, out-of-towners.  I gotta go local with this one.)
____________________________________________

I live in Ohio's 12th U.S. Congressional District.  It's an obscenely gerrymandered Republican stronghold.  The useless, longtime 12th District Rep. Pat Tiberi saw his popularity in free-fall and retired in January.  The election is now a toss-up between Troy Balderson (R) and Danny O'Connor (D).  That this race is so close is a testament to Republican failure -- they could actually lose in their custom-drawn district.  Your party really must suck to lose even after you've rigged it.

Balderson's ads suck too.  Because he has nothing to run on, all he can do is launch stupid and untrue attack ads against O'Connor.  His ads begin with a video of O'Connor at a primary debate proudly saying, "I've spent my adult life fighting for progressive values."  This is TRUE, but the clip is intentionally darkened and scratchy, as if it were a secret recording of Danny confessing to a murder.  And being progressive is a positive thing.  It's opposite is being regressive, which is negative.  You could look it up.

Balderson's ad goes on to claim that Danny has a "radical agenda."  FALSE.  Not even close, and utterly without evidence.  Just another bit of bumper sticker BS.  Then the ad says O'Connor "wants to make Columbus a sanctuary city."   FALSE.  Our mayor Andrew Ginther tweeted that he would not use city resources to assist ICE.  O'Connor retweeted it.  Neither Ginther nor O'Connor have called for Columbus to be an official sanctuary city, and it is not.

And like every other GOP attack ad this season, it claims that "O'Connor supports Nancy Pelosi's liberal agenda."  FALSE (although there's nothing wrong with Nancy's liberal agenda).  In fact, Danny has said many times he'd prefer new party leadership in D.C., i.e. not Nancy.  But he also said that if he's elected and if the D's take back the House and if the majority wants Nancy as Speaker, he'd support her.

As for Balderson's history, he touts his background as a successful business owner.  He was a member of the Ohio legislature since 2009, but also had a joint interest with his brother Tom in two Zanesville companies, Balderson Motor Sales and Balderson Real Estate.  The real estate company owned the land occupied by the auto dealership. 

Balderson Real Estate failed to pay $13,000 in property taxes in 2014.  The amount was eventually paid late, plus penalty, when the property was sold for $862,000.  Troy claimed zero income from the sale.

Balderson Motors was a used car dealership founded by William Balderson, and operated after his retirement by his sons Troy and Tom.  The Ohio Attorney General's office filed seven tax liens against the business for delinquent sales tax, income tax, use tax, and CAT tax.  The AG and local authorities are currently investigating numerous allegations of fraud totalling hundreds of thousands of dollars -- vehicles sold without clear titles, bad checks, forgery, and unpaid loans.  Tom Balderson's residence is in foreclosure. 

Balderson Motors closed in February 2018.  Troy says he left the businesses in 2014, but his campaign ads show him walking around in a vehicle service department.  The "great businessman" is a failed used car dealer!

Politically, Troy Balderson is a Tea Baggish Trumpanzee who opposes the ACA and Ohio's Medicaid expansion, and would raise the eligibility age for Social Security and Medicare.

Danny O'Connor was an attorney for the Franklin County Prosecutor, then worked in private practice.  He was elected Franklin County Recorder in 2016.  He is endorsed by the generally Republican Columbus Dispatch.

If you're in Ohio's 12th District, please vote O'Connor for Congress.  Flip the 12th!