UAW Launches Campaign to Oust Vulnerable Commissioner Jeff Riddell

UAW Launches Political Campaign Against Commissioner Jeff Riddell

Outside the Lorain County Commissioner’s Offices, a significant announcement was made by UAW Local 2192 members at Job and Family Services regarding a new political initiative. This campaign aims to challenge Commissioner Jeff Riddell's re-election attempt this November, presenting a strategic effort spearheaded by the Union.

Commissioner Riddell, who narrowly secured his primary victory with a margin of 18 votes back in May, now finds himself as a susceptible incumbent in the upcoming general election. This situation provides the UAW with the leverage needed to confront one of the county's outspoken adversaries of JFS workers and their strike actions.

“We have held the line, and we are not going to watch our county’s public services deteriorate while our elected officials refuse to do their jobs,” said UAW Local 2192 Bargaining Chairperson Gina Jones. “If the Commissioners elected to run the county will not solve this crisis, then the people of Lorain County will demand change at the ballot box.”

The Union is organizing an extensive voter canvassing initiative in Lorain County, collaborating with local labor allies. This effort involves engaging with Republicans, Independents, and Democrats multiple times a week as part of their outreach.

The campaign’s strategy includes door-to-door canvassing and phone outreach to UAW-affiliated families and neighbors, encompassing both union members and households. In the lead-up to the election, the Union plans several statewide “days of action,” with participation from hundreds of UAW members from across Ohio converging in Lorain County to support the Commissioner’s race.

“It’s safe to say that we have a plan to knock on every single union door in Lorain County to tell them that Commissioner Jeff Riddell needs to go,” added Jones.

In addition to discussing endorsed candidates for various state and federal positions, the UAW will allocate substantial resources toward the Lorain County commissioner race. This includes distributing literature, deploying canvassers, and utilizing digital communication tools.

“We’ve done our part offering an olive branch time and time again, as the Commissioners outright refused to even meet,” stated UAW Region 2B Director David Green. “Meanwhile, the service crisis that JFS workers have been warning about is becoming more visible to everyone because the Commissioners are too stubborn to resolve the retention and staffing crisis in their own workforce.”

The Union backs Carolyn White, a seasoned public servant, as their candidate against Commissioner Riddell. White’s approach to engaging with the county’s working-class individuals stands in contrast to current Commissioners such as Riddell and David Moore. Although White runs as a Democrat against the Republican Riddell, Lorain County remains notable for supporting both Sherrod Brown and Donald Trump in the 2024 elections.

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