Longtime Democrat Rep. Marcy Kaptur faces a tough reelection with a strong Republican in Ohio's 9th District, encompassing much of Toledo.
The candidacy of state Rep. Derek Merrin, a Trump Republican and real estate investor, has united Republicans in the 9th District since he won a hotly contested three-way primary with 52.5%.
Helping Merrin was the 2021 redistricting, which moved the district more to the west, taking in more GOP-leaning areas.
Under the new lines, Donald Trump likely would have narrowly carried the 9th District by 50.6% to 47.7% over Joe Biden.
But in 2022, Kaptur rolled up nearly 57% against Republican J.R. Majewski, who newspapers reported had exaggerated his military record and never served in Afghanistan (as he had long claimed).
Kaptur, 78, is a heroine to organized labor.
Merrin's team is betting that Trump's support in Ohio — he leads Kamala Harris by 8 points or more in many polls — could give the insurgent Republican an upset win.
But nobody is taking Kaptur's pull for granted.
Erie County Republican Party chair Caleb Stidham told The Columbus Dispatch, "I think the worst mistake Republicans can make is underestimating Marcy Kaptur. She's a fierce competitor. She's been around for 40 years for a reason. She knows how to campaign."
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
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