Sherrod Brown works hard. I saw him in action on a flight from Cleveland to Washington, DC. Prior to boarding, it was hard to miss his energy as he navigated his way through people waiting for their flight. As he spoke on the telephone just a few feet away from me, I saw his face intent and focused, and I heard him speaking in a voice that was just at the right volume for public spaces. It seemed like everyone knew he was there, and as he kept talking on his phone, he reached out to shake our hands. It was obvious that people respect him, care for him, know him. And on the plane, who did we see sitting a few rows ahead of us and not in first class? Just a regular guy, Sherrod Brown, doing his work, as he has since 1975 when he was a state representative.
He’s been a senator in Ohio since 2007. But before that, early in my legal career, it was Sherrod Brown’s name I saw on Secretary of State documents starting in 1983. From there, in 1993, he went on to become the U.S. representative for Ohio’s 13th congressional district until 2007, when he became our senator. It’s easy to forget that he defeated Mike DeWine in the 2016 U.S. Senate election. And that he became the state’s senior U.S. senator upon the retirement of George Voinovich in 2011. Now the senior US senator from Ohio, he is so present, so part of the political fabric of Ohio, that we can take him for granted and forget how he got to where he is and who he is today.
Sherrod Brown was born and raised in Mansfield, Ohio. He majored in Russian Studies at Yale and while a student at Yale, he campaigned for George McGovern. He earned Master’s Degrees in Education and Public Administration from The Ohio State University. I can imagine him as an intense and passionate student and advocate when he was a young man, and that intensity and passion continues to drive his desire to do the right thing today. Most of us know he’s married to Connie Schultz, a Pulitzer Prize winning columnist and author, but did you know Sherrod and Connie drive Jeeps made by union workers in Toledo?
Today, he’s the chair of the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs in the senate after becoming the ranking Democratic member of the committee in 2015. He was chair of the Agriculture Subcommittee on Hunger, Nutrition and Family Farms and the Banking Subcommittee on Economic Policy, and is also a member of the Committee on Finance, the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and Select Committee on Ethics. Those sound like committees that would keep a guy busy. He does all of that on top of representing Ohioans?
I don’t believe Sherrod lies about who he is or what he believes in. His work ethic is stated on his website. “Sherrod has dedicated his life to fighting for Ohioans and the Dignity of Work — a concept inspired by the work and writings of Pope Leo XIII and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It’s the belief that hard work should pay off for everyone, no matter who you are, where you live, or what kind of work you do. Whether you punch a clock or swipe a badge, earn a salary or make tips, are raising children or caring for an aging parent, Sherrod is fighting for you.” When Sherrod was young, he saw how unfair trade deals hurt Ohio workers, and today he consistently works to hold corporations accountable.
A man who has strong roots in Ohio and a political legacy that stretches back to 1983, Sherrod Brown wants the people of Ohio to have the lives we dream of, which is reflected on his website, which reads “Sherrod Brown, Fighting for Ohioans,” and that has always been what he’s done. He is a civil servant who knows his job is to listen to what people want and fight to get it done. On his website, read how he stands up for labor and seniors and how he strives to keep us safe. Find out what his stance is on securing our borders. Learn how he puts Ohio first and stands up to special interests. See how he fights for rural Ohioans, veterans, and soldiers. Know how he protects our access to health care, women’s reproductive rights, and equal rights.
Experts say Sherrod Brown is one of the most vulnerable senators up for re-election this year. You can support Sherrod Brown by volunteering on his website to make calls, knock on doors, share on social media, and help him fight for voter protection. Now is the time. But the most important thing you can do is vote, so if you’re not registered, do so by October 7. Brown’s website provides links to register to vote, request an absentee ballot, and vote by mail. It also provides early voting locations in all counties in Ohio and the times at which they are open—you can vote early from October 8 to November 5. You can also choose to walk vote in person on November 5 from 6:30AM-7:30PM.
I’ve seen Sherrod Brown in action. He never stops.
One Response to “About Sherrod Brown by Claudia Taller”
Paige Reich
Coincidentally, this morning I donated another check to Sherrod Brown, who I believe is linchpin in both the Ohio and the national elections. And that was before reading the excellent article by Claudia Taller, written for coolcleveland.com.
Sherrod Brown has always been a positive presence in Ohio. He consistently supports Ohio manufacturing, and strongly believes in unions and the fairness they bring to level the playing field of society.
In addition, he is now the Democratic Majority leader in the United States Senate. His leadership on several important committees is of great value to keeping the Senate operating as well as it does.
He is worthy of Ohio votes in the November election. And this article convinces me to donate to Sherrod Brown one more time. Ohio needs him, and so does our country.