Once more Scioto County has voted Republican. And, once again, the people have overwhelmingly affirmed their allegiance to a conservative party while rejecting liberal, progressive movement in their poor and depressed Appalachian area. Endorsing Republican office holders is nothing new here. Neither is the threat of one-party rule to allow a multi-generational chokehold on constitutional interpretation and related social and fiscal policies.
In fact, most Republicans these days prefer one-party politics with a monopoly on power and control. And, this single political party governance creates an “echo chamber” where those with differing ideas are set aside and their voices not represented. In a system where people are the actual voices to be heard, it’s easy to see that many do not have a seat at the current table, especially here in dead Red Scioto County.
Here are the 2020 Scioto Election Results:
Race: For President and Vice President
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, Democratic 8,876
Donald Trump and Mike Pence, Republican 21,926
Race: For Representative to Congress (2nd District)
Jaime M. Castle, Democratic 4,908
Brad Wenstrup, Republican 9,483
Race: For 6th Congressional District
Bill Johnson, Republican 12,124
Shawna Roberts 3,620
Race: For State Senator (14th District)
Terry A. Johnson, Republican 22,392
Ryan Ottney, Democratic 8,152
Race: For State Representative (90th District)
Brian Baldridge, Republican 24,352 (Unopposed)
Race: For County Commissioner
Cathy E. Coleman, Republican 20,298
John McHenry, Democratic 9,891
Race: For County Commissioner
Mike Crabtree, Republican 20,207
Matt Seifert, Democratic 9,968
Race: For Prosecuting Attorney
Shane Tieman, Republican 25,434 (Unopposed)
Race: For Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas
Kathy L. Shupert, Republican 24,650 (Unopposed)
Race: For Coroner
Darren C. Adams, Republican 25,389 (Unopposed)
Republican-dominated Scioto County could stand some positive movement in outcomes that determine good, healthy living conditions. Republicans – long in control here – have failed to address adequately the following problems in the area:
Health
“Overview of Scioto County” in Healthiest Communities (2020) published by U.S. News in collaboration with Aetna Foundation finds Scioto with an overall score of 29 (of a possible 100), far below the Ohio average of 48.
According to the 2020 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps program, a study conducted by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, Scioto County ranks 88 out of 88 Ohio counties in terms of overall health.
The recent past? A national study of life expectancy at the county level (2012) found that men in Scioto County have the lowest expectancy of anyone in Ohio (Source: “Study: Scioto men have lowest life expectancy in Ohio,” Portsmouth Daily Times, April 24, 2012).
Community Vitality
The community vitality category assesses the stability and social cohesion of a community through measures of population growth, voter participation and more. Scioto achieves an overall score of 36 in community vitality, a 27 score in social capital, and a -1.8% net migration rate compared with a U.S. rate of -0.5% and an Ohio rate of -2.1%.
Accidental Death Rate/100k
Scioto Country reports a dismal 81.5 per 100k accidental death rate compared to a U.S. rate of 53.5 and an Ohio rate of 58.7. (U.S. News)
Crime – Property Crime Rate/100k
Scioto's property crime rate/100k was numbered 3,310.7 compared to 1,673.9 for the U.S. and 2,669.5 for Ohio. (U.S. News)
Unemployment Rate
Scioto stands at 6.7% unemployment while the U.S. is 3.9% and Ohio is 4.5%. (U.S. News)
Education
In Scioto, the population with advanced degrees is 22.8% compared to a national average of 29.1% and a state average of 36.4%. (U.S. News)
Food and Nutrition
The food and nutrition category tracks the availability and use of healthy foods in a community, as well as the prevalence of chronic diseases that have been linked to poor nutrition. The overall score for Scioto is 25 with a 14.2% Diabetes Prevalence (National Median: 9.9%) and a 38.2% obesity prevalence. (National Median: 33.0%).
Scioto's Food Environment Index Score (Higher score indicates more healthy food than unhealthy food is available in a community) is 6.91 compared to a U.S. score of 9.94 and an Ohio score of 8.46.
Housing
The housing category tracks the availability, affordability and quality of homes within a community. Scioto comes in at 4.1% of “Change in Housing Value” (National Median: 10.3%) and 55.0 “Work Hours Needed to Pay for Affordable Housing” (National Median: 41.0). This is also indication of the low wages in Scioto County.
Per Capita Income and Poverty Rate
Data from the “2010 United States Census Data and the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates” show Scioto ranked 83rd of Ohio's 88 counties with per capita income of $17,778. The Census Bureau’s five-year “American Community Survey,” taken from 2014 through 2018 ranks Scioto 80th with a median household income of $39,731.
Data USA (datausa.io) sets the poverty rate in Scioto at 23.6%. American Community Survey (ACS) says the number is 22.6%. The poverty rate in Ohio is 14%. The official poverty rate in the U.S. in 2019 was 10.5 percent.
(Note: U.S. News substituted data sources for the property crime and violent crime metrics on Nov. 2, 2020, resulting in some shifts within the initial rankings. See the Healthiest Communities methodology for more information. Title: “Overview of Scioto County” in Healthiest Communities by U.S. News in collaboration with the Aetna Foundation.)
This blog entry makes two things apparent:
Scioto County is (and has been for many years) a Republican stronghold, a county largely administered, commissioned, and judged by one party's philosophy and political views.
Scioto County is in desperate need of change, reform, and improvement. Strides must be made to insure the future good health, safety, and quality of life here. The “same old, same old” is not a solution, yet the electorate is evidently not convinced.
In 2020, being a Democrat, a liberal, or even a centrist in Scioto County is challenging to say the least. Supporting progressive reforms in this county – especially those seeking greater social and economic equality – will likely result in being known a “snowflake,” or even a “libtard” and a “socialist.” Many Scioto Republicans believe the mainstream media and academia are evil and “fake,” and they distrust any Democratic viewpoint.
Republicans in the highest echelons of the conservative establishment and right-wing media promote the idea that a broad liberal conspiracy is standard. Thus, the majority in this rural, Appalachian county discredit the opposition – that disrepute includes the views that Democrats are godless creatures uncaring for human life and that they are agents of an unlawful agreement to usurp their Second Amendment rights.
Let me make it clear. Until the recent election many liberals accepted the conservative nature of Scioto as just a product of their environment and the political history of religiosity and a predominantly backwoods, White, Anglo-Saxon Protestant upbringing. Now, under an increasingly oppressive regime, those same Democrats – unrepresented and unrecognized in their own backyard – fight like hell as political and social underdogs.
Now, in the face of a White Nationalist opponent, the struggle for us so-called “snowflakes” is all about equality and important issues in addition to the economy – Black lives matter, LGBTQ rights, DACA and the Dreamers, the COVID-19 pandemic … you know, opposing unspeakable injustice like separating children from their parents, Trump-generated bigotry and hatred, and being devalued as an essential part of a very, very Red county.
You see, all the Republican office holders and politicians in Scioto County are screwed without those they typically use as scapegoats for threats to their personal rights. The Republicans need Democrats for deflection and for blame and excuses of their own misgivings and unsuccessful policies.
The GOP electorate will sooner or later have to answer not only for the stagnant, depressing conditions in this long Red county, but more importantly for using the coattails of an autocratic demagogue to secure their recent election to office.
I think the day will come when Republicans will distance themselves from their misguided past and embrace opposing views and progressive ideas. But, I fear that will be in some distant time. And, I express that fear here in Scioto County, where admitting you are a Democrat or a liberal must be whispered in public places … that is, unless you wish to risk being denigrated and called “stupid,” a “Communist,” a “pussy,” or an “N-lover.”
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