Hillary Clinton’s Ohio campaign has opened a field office in Athens in coordination with local Democrats.
John Haseley, the chair of the Athens County Democratic Party, said the new office is a coordinated campaign office that will include efforts to elect Clinton, as well as former Gov. Ted Strickland for the U.S. Senate, Lou Gentile, D-Steubenville, for the Ohio Senate, Sarah Grace for the Ohio House of Representatives and Debbie Phillips for the Ohio Board of Education.
Haseley said he couldn’t give a specific number of people volunteering and working at the office since the “growing” number of volunteers who are in and out of the offices every day makes it difficult to calculate.
“We have a lot of momentum and a lot of enthusiasm around the presidential race and the U.S. Senate race and all the races that we’re working on out of that office,” Haseley said.
Although Senator Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., swept up about 61 percent of the Athens County votes in the primary election, Haseley said, Sanders supporters in Athens are getting on board for Clinton, and local Democrats are “absolutely committed” to ensuring a Clinton presidency.
“I invite you to come out to the headquarters sometime, and you’ll see cars pulling up that have Bernie Sanders signs on them and people getting out of the cars and walking into the headquarters to volunteer hours and hours to elect Hillary Clinton,” Haseley said.
Haseley added that Trump’s popularity in Appalachian Ohio in particular could fade “the more people learn” about him.
“Whether they’re for Trump right now or they’re for Hillary Clinton right now — people will increasingly understand that it’s Hillary Clinton who really represents the values and the goals that our region needs to get behind,” Haseley said.
Donald Trump's Ohio campaign office did not respond for comment.
Andrew Price, the director of communication for the OU College Democrats, said the group would be as involved as possible and work closely with the Athens office.
“We’re going to help out this campaign to the best of our ability,” Price said. “We’re all really pumped for this election and for Hillary.”
Price called Athens a part of “Clinton Country,” noting that she won Ohio in the 2008 primary. Clinton won 83 of Ohio’s 88 counties in 2008, according to a previous Post report.
“Every time there’s been a Clinton on the ballot, they’ve carried Ohio, so this state has a real connection to her,” Price said. “I think (her message) is attractive because it’s about continuing to move this country forward and bringing people together, and in reality that’s what a lot of Athens is about. This county is big into community, which is a big part of Clinton’s message.”
