In this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss how the progressive wing of the Democratic Party is working to build on the successful campaigns of politicians such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.).
Morgan Harper, a 36-year-old first-time candidate who is challenging incumbent Rep. Joyce Beatty, joins the show.
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On this week's episode:
Challenging The Establishment
One of Ohio’s few Democratic members of Congress has a challenger from the left. Rep. Joyce Beatty represents much of the city of Columbus in the heavily gerrymandered 3rd district. It’s highly unlikely a Republican would beat her, but she’s not getting a pass in 2020.
Beatty faces a 2020 primary challenge from Morgan Harper. At 36 years old, Harper is a political newcomer with a compelling story and impressive resume. Born into foster care, she was raised by an immigrant Columbus school teacher. After an ivy-league education that included a law degree from Stanford, she worked for three years at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau under former director (and failed Ohio governor candidate) Richard Cordray.
Harper's platform is very progessive and supports free college tuition, universal basic income, "Medicare for All," a jobs guarantee, and what she calls "systemic reparations for African Americans."
Snollygoster Of The Week
State Rep. Jena Powell (R-Arcanum) has sponsored a bill that would classify pornography as a public health crisis. She and 18 other conservative lawmakers say the use of porn is tied to sex trafficking and sexual abuse and puts children at risk of porn addiction.
The measure is basically a resolution that would not have the force of law. But the move raises the question of what should be labeled a public health crisis when lawmakers have not attached issues like gun violence with the same label.
Send your questions and comments to snollygoster@wosu.org.
