(DailyVantage.com) – Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), who often depicts himself as a more moderate Democrat in Congress, announced that he will vote alongside his Republican colleagues to overturn DC’s left-wing criminal justice reforms.
Brown seems to share Biden’s criticisms of the progressive reforms. In particular, he opposes the reduction in penalties for carjacking.
Though Brown appears to be taking a moderate position on the DC crime bill, he has a history of spouting “defund the police”-type rhetoric.
In June of 2020, Brown stated that “‘Defund the police’ doesn’t mean that we disband police departments. It doesn’t mean we don’t spend for law enforcement. It means we start thinking more about training police…”
The “defund the police” movement, however, was not centered around sensible reforms, but rather, radical abolition of local police departments.
Brown has also spoken about the need to “demilitarize law enforcement”. He has asserted that police officers should not be in possession of “military equipment “.
Brown’s change of heart, though, is likely a politically calculated move, being that he is up for reelection in 2024. Ohio, a state which has become increasingly conservative over the past few years, has little appetite for “defund the police” or “reimagining policing”.
Ohio voters will most likely not forget Brown’s radical comments.
Ohio is no longer considered a swing state. In fact, it has become decidedly red. In 2016, President Trump won Ohio by 8 points. Trump won Ohio by similar margins against Biden in 2020. Conservative author, J.D. Vance easily beat Democratic Representative Tim Ryan in 2022’s Senate race.
All this to say, Brown has his work cut out for him in 2024. He will need to prove to voters that he is truly the bipartisan, blue-dog Democrat that he makes himself out to be.
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