Jefferson County GOP opens headquarters

STEUBENVILLE -- Saturday was the perfect day for the Jefferson County Republican Party to open its campaign headquarters, officials with the party explained.

“We are one month away from Election Day, so we thought this was a good day to open this up and get people energized,” said Brian Moffat, secretary of the local party.

Located in the building at 110 John Scott Highway that at one time held local AEP offices and was the home of the former Pugliese Training Center, the headquarters figures to see a lot of activity in the weeks before the Nov. 3 election.

“You can’t take anything for granted,” said Derek Ferguson, the party chairman. “I believe that our candidates here in the county are going to be fine, but we are going to have to really work hard for the state candidates. Like others have said, here we are going to be red, but it’s going to blue in those big cities, and that’s really going to hurt us. We have to do what we can here to get as much of the vote out as we possibly can.”

Moffat and Ferguson were joined by other party officials, elected officials and supporters. A representative from U.S. Rep. Michael Rulli’s office also attended.

State Rep. Ron Ferguson, a Wintersville resident, discussed last week’s passage of House Bill 519, which suspended Ohio’s motor fuel taxes through the end of the year. Money to fund the bill is coming from $725 million in excess tax dollars. It will not have an impact on planned work, he explained.

“Every single dollar that was already allocated for roads and infrastructure projects was not touched. All of this money is excess,” the legislator said. “The taxes collected were already more than what they were originally anticipated to be. This is an excess, and the government has two choices -- spend the excess or give it back to the people. I’m on the fiscal conservative side: You give it back to the people. That’s how we are able to do this tax holiday and give back a little bit of relief to taxpayers.”

Effective Sunday, the state’s 38.5-cents-per-gallon gasoline tax and 47-cent-per-gallon diesel fuel tax were no longer being charged at the pump. That reduction, Ferguson explained, could have an even bigger impact on counties like Jefferson, because of their location along the state’s border.

“I think it’s going to be an extra blessing for counties like ours, because I think there will be a lot of people from West Virginia coming over to Jefferson County and the rest of Eastern Ohio and, hopefully, shopping or getting a bite to eat. So, hopefully, it’s really an economic driver, especially when we get that economic benefit here.”

Ferguson is seeking re-election and is running against Democrat Charrie Foglio, a Toronto resident.

Moffat and Ron Ferguson said it’s important for Republicans to vote in this election. They pointed to the realities of Ohio’s politics -- Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy probably needs to get 70 percent or 75 percent of the vote in counties like Jefferson to help offset the volume of votes Democrat Amy Acton will collect in the state’s major cities in the race for governor.

Kris Haught is vice chairman of the county Republicans and Miranda Parkinson is the treasurer.

Moffat, who also is a member of the Jefferson County Board of Elections, said that Republican poll workers are needed for the Nov. 3 election. Those interested can contact the board’s office.

The campaign headquarters will be open from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays and from 9 a.m. to noon every Saturday through the election.

“Everyone is welcome to stop in and get a campaign sign, take a slate card and get a brochure or two from candidates if you’re not sure about them or want to learn more about them,” Moffat said. “Come in, hang out for a little bit while we’re open and talk a little political shop. We want all Republicans, and even people who are leaning Republican and might not be sure, to stop in. We’ll have a conversation or two and see if we can’t make them see the light.”