COLUMBUS, Ohio — President Joe Biden on Monday endorsed state Rep. Allison Russo for Ohio's 15th Congressional District as national attention on the race intensifies in its final days.
"The daughter of a union carpenter and a spouse of a combat veteran, Allison Russo knows who built America: working people and the middle class," Biden said in a statement. "She’s the kind of leader we need as we build back an economy that creates good-paying jobs, delivers more affordable health care, and puts middle-class families first."
Russo will face off against longtime coal lobbyist Mike Carey in Tuesday's special election. The winner will take office immediately and replace former U.S. Rep. Steve Stivers, who left Congress in May to run the Ohio Chamber of Commerce.
The 15th District spans suburban Columbus to Athens, encompassing rural counties like Pickaway, Fairfield and Hocking.
The partisan makeup of the district favors Carey, who is backed by former President Donald Trump. The district leans Republican by 9 points in the Cook Partisan Voter Index, and Trump won the district by 14 percentage points in 2020.
Still, Republicans aren't taking any chances. The National Republican Congressional Committee has funneled money toward Carey's campaign, and he's secured help from key players like House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. Former Vice President Mike Pence visited the district over the weekend to stump for him.
Despite the GOP advantage, Russo managed to slightly outraise Carey from July to mid-October. She brought in around $550,000, while he received over $548,000 in donations.
"President Biden is a leader who understands how important it is that we deliver for Ohio," Russo said. "I am proud to have his support and I look forward to working with him and both parties to build opportunity for Ohio working families — from creating good-paying jobs to investing in our crumbling infrastructure to making healthcare more affordable."
Biden also endorsed Democrat Shontel Brown in the special election for the 11th Congressional District in northeast Ohio.
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