Hugh Jones Hugh Jones

Midterm elections see major split ticketing in key state and federal races

Washington Examiner

“Liam Kerr, the co-founder of the liberal Welcome PAC, said split-ticket voters are a ‘depolarizing force’ in the current political climate. ‘I think where the issues become really important is they create a way for a candidate to distance themselves from their party and have appeal as an individual.’”

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Hugh Jones Hugh Jones

Split-ticket voters play outsized role in critical midterm contests

Axios

“‘Both parties and the media love polarization porn, but normal voters know the electorate is volatile and ticket-splitters are common,’ said Liam Kerr, the co-founder of WelcomePAC, which tried to gin up Republican votes for Democrat Tim Ryan in Ohio's Senate race.”

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Win Or Lose, Tim Ryan Is The Future Of Democratic Senate Campaigns

HuffPost

“‘Lots of people have bet on abortion as their get-out-of-jail-free card, and Tim didn’t,’ said Irene Lin, a Cleveland-based Democratic strategist who now works for Welcome PAC, which is wooing Republicans on Ryan’s behalf. ‘He knew kitchen table issues were the winner here.’”

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A Big Tent that Wins with Lauren Harper & Liam Kerr

The Lincoln Project Podcast

“Host Reed Galen is joined by Lauren Harper & Liam Kerr, the Co-Founders of WelcomePAC, a Democratic-aligned PAC that applies insurgent tactics to support pro-democracy & center-left candidates in swing districts.”

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Hugh Jones Hugh Jones

How much each of Ohio’s U.S. Senate candidates has in contributions

WDTN Dayton

“While GOP groups saw something to be gained in dishing out dollars to Vance, who is seeking to replace a Republican in Rob Portman, national Democratic committees – with the exception of the Democratic-funded WelcomePAC – have been less inclined to offer the same level of financial support to Ryan.”

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Hugh Jones Hugh Jones

Democrat Tim Ryan is betting on ticket-splitters to win Ohio’s U.S. Senate seat. Can it work?

The Plain Dealer

“WelcomePAC… has been operating in Ohio for the past year with two main goals. First, the group wants to make Democrats seem more ‘normal’ by recruiting more moderate candidates with an electable background for state legislative races... And second, more recently, it has worked to try to promote Ryan to disenchanted Republicans.”

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Hugh Jones Hugh Jones

Split-Ticket Voters Could Save Democrats in Key Swing States

Newsweek

“‘When we think about our politics more generally, these voters are the depolarizing force in our politics,’ Liam Kerr, co-founder of the Democratic-backed Welcome PAC, told Newsweek. ‘We need to be looking at what we need to do to elevate these voters.’”

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Hugh Jones Hugh Jones

Oz-Shapiro. Warnock-Kemp. Split-ticket voters loom large in midterms.

The Washington Post

“WelcomePAC, a group supporting Ryan, is trying to reach both Trump detractors and supporters in the GOP, highlighting endorsements from current and former Republicans and arguing that Vance is ‘not really what he says,’ said Ohio-based Democratic strategist Irene Lin, who works with the group.”

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Hugh Jones Hugh Jones

Republicans urge support for Ryan

Sandusky Register

“The trio, representing Welcome PAC, appeared on ‘Between the Lines Live’ Tuesday to argue their case… They said even Republicans should vote for Tim Ryan, the Ohio Democrat in the U.S. Senate race.”

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Hugh Jones Hugh Jones

GOP group in Toledo visit urges voters to back Democrat Tim Ryan

Toledo Blade

“A group of Republicans is teaming up to tour Ohio and urge voters to elect Democrat Tim Ryan as the state’s next U.S. senator, bringing that message to Toledo in hopes of reaching other GOP members. The Toledo stop on Tuesday was put on by the Welcome PAC, which seeks to build a “big tent” Democratic Party.”

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Hugh Jones Hugh Jones

Switch It Up

The Plain Dealer

“U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, a Democrat running for U.S. Senate, announced that several Republican leaders are supporting his campaign, including Jim Petro, the Republican former Ohio attorney general and Ohio auditor. The group was assembled by the Democratic political action committee called the Welcome PAC.”

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