Opinion

DAVID MARCUS: In Dayton, Ohio, both parties face bitter political despondency

Residents of the struggling city express deep skepticism that either GOP nominee can match Trump's populist appeal

By David Marcus Fox News

Published October 7, 2026 5:09pm EDT

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Ohio voters skeptical of both parties as GOP faces uphill Senate, governor races

From empty storefronts to struggling small businesses, Dayton voters explain why Ohio's GOP candidates face challenging races.

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Generally, on reporting trips, the job begins once I land on the ground, hence, "on the ground reporting." But in Dayton, Ohio, I got my first tidbit of information in the air, looking out of my plane’s window to a large farm field below with the giant words, "Trump 28," blasted onto it like a crop circle.

It was a reminder that President Donald Trump won the Buckeye State by 11 points in 2024, and, yet, both the Senate and gubernatorial races here are proving uphill climbs for the GOP’s respective nominees — Sen. Jon Husted and Vivek Ramaswamy — even with Democratic challengers in former Sen. Sherrod Brown and Dr. Amy Acton whose support feels rather tepid.

I spoke with Michael in the Oregon District neighborhood, one of few in this beat-down city of empty storefronts still brimming with life. His attitude seemed to be something akin to a pox on both political parties’........

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