Jeffries likes Democrats' chances in race for the House as he campaigns
in Ohio
[October 19, 2026]
By LISA MASCARO
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said Sunday
the election climate is holding firm for Democrats as he campaigned for
Rep. Marcy Kaptur in a heavily contested Ohio congressional district
that is crucial for majority control of the House.
Jeffries also slapped back at President Donald Trump’s abrupt decision
to waive sanctions on Russia and said there will be a bipartisan effort
in the House to pursue a new sanctions package that the president would
not have the ability to waive.
“It’s shocking, but not surprising, that an American president would do
so much to undermine the cause of democracy, freedom and dignity for the
Ukrainian people,” Jeffries told The Associated Press after visiting
church services in Toledo.
Jeffries, who is in line to become House speaker if Democrats win back
the majority, has traveled to some 50 cities campaigning for Democratic
candidates. He said the House Republicans are “divorced from reality” in
thinking — as Speaker Mike Johnson recently suggested — that the Nov. 3
election will be a repeat of the 2024 sweep that put Trump in the White
House and Republicans in Congress.
“We are working hard across the country, continuing to make the case
that we need dramatic change as opposed to the status quo,” Jeffries
said, “and that Democrats are going to be the only ones to fight to make
this country affordable.”
Ohio races are key to control of Congress
The Buckeye State is being fiercely contested in these midterm elections
that will determine control of Congress. While much attention has been
on the Senate race between Republican Sen. Jon Husted and Democrat
Sherrod Brown, the House races are a district-by-district slog key to
unlocking control of that chamber.
The Toldeo-area House seat has been a top priority. Kaptur, who has held
office for decades, is the longest-serving woman in the House. But Trump
has carried the district and Republicans are trying to flip it. Kaptur
defeated GOP candidate Derek Merrin two years ago, but he is making a
repeat play for the seat.
“We work very hard,” Kaptur told AP. “We don’t just work at elections.
We work to make a difference in the lives of people.”
[to top of second column]
|
In this photo taken with a smart phone, Rep. Marcy Kaptur, left, and
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries walk before a church
services as they campaign for the midterm elections, Sunday, Oct.
18, 2026, in battleground Toledo, Ohio. (AP Photo/Lisa Mascaro)
In August, Kaptur, 80, was heading to church when the vehicle she
was riding in as a passenger was struck. She was hospitalized with
injuries suffered in the car accident, but said she has since
recovered.
Jeffries said Kaptur is a legendary figure in the Great Lakes
Region. “Once again, she's going to defy all expectations,” he said.
Trump's waiver of Russia sanctions roils campaigns
The area has been home to a large Ukrainian American population, and
Kaptur is founder and co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus,
a bipartisan group of lawmakers with particular focus on the
country.
She had harsh words for Trump’s decision late Friday to waive
provisions of the Russia sanctions bill named for Lindsey Graham,
which Congress had passed to help Ukraine as it battles Russian
President Vladimir Putin’s invasion.
“What he did is just un-American,” she said. “He has sided with
Putin.”
Members of Congress, Democrats and Republicans, expressed outrage
over the weekend at Trump’s decision to waive the sanctions, which
were due to take effect Sunday. The president had just signed the
bill into law last month.
Johnson said Sunday on Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures”
that a number of his colleagues have raised concerns. He said he had
yet to talk about it with Trump, but said he knows the president is
evaluating the situation.
“We need to talk about it and I think carefully consider the
unintended consequences,” Johnson said.
All contents © copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved
 |
