Correction appended.
Mayor Steve Patterson acquired a prominent endorsement from U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) for his positions on issues like worker’s unions, women’s reproductive health and charter schools.
Patterson, the incumbent Democratic mayoral candidate, received this endorsement after submitting an application for a program run by Brown called Canary Candidates. It’s a reference to the canary lapel pin that Brown wears on his suit jacket in which Patterson had to state his positions on issues that Brown feels are important to the residents of Ohio.
“As mayor, Steve has demonstrated that he understands that the Dignity of Work is not just a slogan, it’s how we govern — that’s why I’m proud to endorse Steve Patterson for Mayor of Athens,” Brown said in an email.
Patterson is running for reelection this year against Damon Krane, a local activist and business owner. While he has received other endorsements, getting support from Ohio’s only statewide Democrat is a big deal for the first-term mayor.
Patterson said that he has a great relationship with Brown, having met the senator on multiple occasions both in Athens and in Washington, D.C. for his work with the National League of Cities. He is highly supportive of Brown’s positions, and this endorsement shows the senator is also supportive of him.
“It's a great endorsement to get from Senator Brown,” Patterson said. “He recognizes what I am doing for the city of Athens, but it's not just the city of Athens. It’s Athens County, Southeast Ohio and the state.”
Brown’s endorsement comes almost a year after he won reelection in the midterms by about 7 percentage points, making him Ohio’s lone statewide elected Democrat. Brown then mulled over a run for U.S. President and toured the country on a “Dignity of Work” tour, speaking on issues faced by the working class.
Krane, who identifies as a Socialist, said there is nothing holding Democrats and independents back in Athens because they outnumber Republicans 18 to 1. He said Patterson should have the ability to improve the lives of students and working-class residents — a group that Krane estimates makes up about 80% of people in the city — but chooses not to.
“Steve Patterson is just a Republican running as a Democrat, and Sherrod Brown is either too stupid to notice or too soulless to care,” Krane said in an email.
Krane said that Patterson is backed by Athens County Republican Chair Pete Couladis, and landlords like Alan McMillan, Demetrios Prokos and John Wharton. These landlords are some of the primary targets of Krane’s campaign, which seeks to reform rental housing code enforcement, institute rent control and punish bad actor landlords who abuse the system.
Besides Brown’s endorsement, Patterson received endorsements from Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio; the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees; the Central Labor Council of Southeast Ohio; the AFL-CIO, the Sheet Metal Workers Local 24 union; and the Ohio chapter of the National Association of Social Workers.
Krane received endorsements from the Southeast Ohio Democratic Socialists of America; Athens Revolutionary Socialists; Ellie Hamrick, a candidate for Athens City Council; and McCray Powell, a candidate for Nelsonville City Council.
Correction: A previous version of this report incorrectly spelled Alan McMillan’s name. The article has been updated to reflect the most accurate information.
