LINCOLN DAY DINNER — The Jefferson County Republican Party held its annual Lincoln Day Dinner Thursday at the St. Florian Event Center. The event included, from left, Brian Scarpone, chairman of the GOP Central Committee and Jefferson County treasurer; U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Urbana; Nate Freeman, county GOP chair; state House Speaker Matt Huffman, R-Lima; and U.S. Rep. Michael Rulli, R-Salem. -- Ross Gallabrese

WINTERSVILLE — Events like the annual Lincoln Day Dinner that attract attention are important for the region’s growth.

“I think it’s an asset to the citizens of Jefferson County that candidates come into our region and see what we are facing, and they can put a name to the face of the county,” Nate Freeman, chairman of the Jefferson County Republican Party said during a break in the gathering at the St. Florian Event Center. “That’s important for us as we go forward as a county.

Thursday’s event offered a chance for party members to look back on the past year, discuss plans for the coming election and hear from elected officials, including Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman, R-Lima, and U.S. Reps. Mike Rulli, R-Salem, and Jim Jordan, R-Urbana.

Jordan, who has represented the state’s 4th Congressional District since 2007, said those who hold public office deserve praise.

“If you get involved in politics today, look out, because the left is coming after you,” Jordan said while delivering the keynote address. “I tell people, thank you for doing it. You do it because you love this country, and you love the principals this nation, the greatest nation in history, stands for. You do it because you care about America and what America stands for around the world.”

Keeping focused on things that make America strong is important, he added.

“We have five rights under the First Amendment in our great Constitution, the greatest Constitution ever,” Jordan said. “Five rights — our right to practice our faith, our right to assembly — like we are doing right now — our right to petition the government, free press and free speech. All are critically important. The most important of the five, though is the last one — our right to talk, because if you can’t speak, you can’t practice your faith, you can’t share your faith, you can’t petition your government and you don’t have a free press.

“That’s what the left wants to go after,” Jordan continued. “So, thank you for getting involved in politics. The reason you are involved is that you know we’re the party standing up for the First Amendment, standing up for the Constitution, standing up for the Bill of Rights — the things that make America best.”

Jordan said there is a stark contrast in American politics.

“Remember, the left is all about empowering government. They want control. They’re crazy, they’re mean and they don’t like us,” he said.

With the mid-term elections approaching — the Ohio primary is scheduled for May 5 — it’s important for Republicans to remind voters that they are the party of common sense, Jordan said.

“We’re about empowering families — the first institution the good Lord put together,” Jordan said. “It wasn’t the church, it wasn’t the state, it was moms and dads and kids. That institution determines, I would argue, the strength of the entire culture of your country. We’re the party that’s going to keep America strong. You let families keep more of their money so they can go after their dreams.

“Think about the people who started this place — what a contrast between where the left is and where our party is at,” he continued. “The people who started this place were told in Europe that they had to practice their faith in a certain way, and they said, ‘No we don’t. We will get on a ship, we will risk it all and we will go to this place called America, where we can practice our faith the way we think the good Lord wants us to, and, if we work hard, we can reach our goals and our dreams, for ourselves and our kids.’ That’s what America has always offered its citizens and what we are all about.”

Rulli, whose mother was born in Steubenville and whose grandfather lived in Mingo Junction, said President Donald Trump has the backs of people in our region.

“Our movement is not a Republican movement, it’s not a Democratic movement — it’s an America first movement,” he said. “It’s a movement where we put American workers in front of everything. We have to mind our Ps and Qs, we have to do these tariffs right, we have to make sure that we get these wars under control, we need to make sure our kids stay alive, but, more important, we have to give them a reason to stay in Steubenville. That’s with jobs, that’s with compassion.

“I want the children of Steubenville, of Belmont and Jefferson counties to stay here and celebrate life with their families,” he continued.

Huffman detailed work being done in the state House of Representatives, including the passage of House Bill 15.

“The state is no longer using your rate-paying dollars to subsidize utilities building energy,” Huffman said. “Since we passed the bill in April 2025, we’ve had seven new sites for new energy production in the state.”

Huffman added that the state budget was balanced and passed on time, Ohio had its smallest increase — 1.9% — in spending in the last 20 years, the state income tax had been lowered to a flat rate of 2.75% and that the budget included a tax credit for pregnancy resource centers.