SIDNEY — An Ohio congressman is calling for party unity before the November election.
U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Urbana, 4th District, spoke to members of the NFIB of Shelby/Auglaize Area Action Council Monday morning at CBT Company in Sidney. Jordan, who had previously placed his support behind Donald Trump as the Republican candidate for president, told the group why he decided to support Trump.”I know many have reservations about Mr. Trump,” said Jordan. “But everybody needs to vote.”
Jordan said Trump has made two decisions which factored into his decision to support the GOP candidate.
“He’s given us a list of names for the Supreme Court,” said Jordan. “They are all good people.”
The second decision he supports is who Trump selected as his running mate.
“Mike Pence is a good guy,” said Jordan. “I served with Mike. I think if he’d stayed in Congress, he’d be Speaker of the House today.”
Jordan said the biggest reason for voting for Trump is to keep Hilary Clinton out of the White House.
“What she did in Benghazi and Libya alone should have disqualified her,” said Jordan. “She went into Libya for Gaddafi. When she was asked by the people serving in the country for more security, she turned them down.”
He said after the Sept. 11 attack, she told one story privately and another to the American people.
“She told a different story to the parents of those who gave their lives for their country,” said Jordan.
“At this moment in history, we need your involvement,” said Jordan. “When the NFIB takes a position, they mean it.
“We have 80 days to unify the party and that’s gradually happening,” he said.
Jordan said a group of Republicans were planning to meet with Ohio Gov. John Kasich on Tuesday, Aug. 23, to discuss the presidential election and other issues.
“Trump is bringing new people to the party,” said Jordan.
He said he was in Lima for the opening of the Allen County Republican headquarters recently. A man with a Trump sign in his hand approached Jordan and told him he was a union pipe fitter and he was voting for Trump.
“That reminded me of my dad in 1980. He was a union worker and he voted for Reagan,” said Jordan. “If the party comes together, we can win in November.”
Jordan said it’s vital for the party to unite.
“I can’t think of one thing she’s (Clinton) for that I’m for,” said Jordan. “They won’t even define what a terrorist threat is.”
During a question and answer session, Jordan was asked about funding for the Zika virus.
“This is something that should be partisan,” said Jordan. “The House wanted to use money from the Ebola crisis and use it to deal with the Zika issue. The Senate said no that we have to spend new money on the Zika issue.
“Our (House) bill takes money that is already there and adds a little new money to it,” said Jordan. “It’s all so frustrating. We can’t keep spending the way we are.”
He also addressed a question concerning the trucking industry not being able to find and keep employees. Drug testing months and sometimes a year after they are hired comes back positive and the company loses the employee because they are a drug-free workplace.
“The drug issue is scary,” said Jordan, “but it’s better here in West Central Ohio than in other places in Ohio.”
In Allen County, said Jordan, Jobs and Family Services is going to the employers in the county and asking them what type of employee they need.
“They say our customer is the employer. People coming to Jobs and Family Services are being drug tested. They are helping them get to work. They are helping them to succeed. Allen County has 256 employers in the program.”
Roger Geiger, NFIB Ohio executive director and vice president, encouraged each business owner to educate the people they know on November’s election.
“A Gallup poll shows voters are influenced by who you know,” said Geiger. “You need to educate others. You are in a significant sphere of their influence. You can take 25 people and inform and educate them on why you are voting a certain way. Don’t underestimate your influence.”
Geiger also discussed unemployment claims and the changes in the overtime rules which will affect small business owners across the nation.
