Red Wine & Blue rally draws crowd to Brunswick ahead of midterms

BRUNSWICK — The Brunswick High School Performing Arts Center was nearly full Sunday as about 1,000 people gathered for a Red Wine & Blue Ohio rally featuring historian and author Heather Cox Richardson. The event brought members of the organization's Ohio network together with Richardson and several candidates ahead of the Nov. 3 general election. Laura Mullen, Ohio program director for Red Wine & Blue, said the organization has grown to about 61,000 members in Ohio, up from the 40,000s two years ago. "Lots of things happen in Cleveland but there's a lot of energy in the suburbs," Mullen said, explaining why Brunswick and Ohio's 7th Congressional District were selected for the event. Mullen said she views the midterm election as an opportunity for voters to assess what elected officials have done since the 2024 election. "You let the elected officials perform, and the midterms are like a 'performance evaluation,'" Mullen said. Among the issues Mullen said she has been hearing about from Ohio voters are affordability, police flock cameras, data centers and access to health care. Mullen also questioned whether the legislation passed by the Ohio General Assembly is helping Ohio residents, saying she wants voters to consider that question when evaluating elected officials. A figure she cited for legislation passed this year could not be independently verified and is not included here. Richardson, author of "Democracy Awakening" and the "Letters from an American" newsletter, spoke with Red Wine & Blue founder Katie Paris about the upcoming midterm elections, state and local government and the role of grassroots organizing. Richardson said political change historically has involved ordinary people organizing in their communities. She also emphasized the importance of state and local government and remaining engaged beyond Election Day. The event included appearances by Brian Poindexter, a Democratic candidate for Ohio's 7th Congressional District, and Megan Coy, a Democratic candidate for Ohio House District 17 in Cuyahoga County. Poindexter and Coy discussed their reasons for running for office and issues they said they have heard from voters in their communities. The rally also served as a get-out-the-vote event. Organizers asked attendees to commit to reaching out to people they know to encourage them to register and vote. During the event, organizers said attendees had already committed to reaching 5,801 voters through their personal networks. Red Wine & Blue organizers said the Ohio organization has 62 local groups, while the national organization has more than 700. The organization's Ohio network includes groups working on local elections and issues, with members involved in activities ranging from voter outreach to candidate work. Organizers urged attendees to check their voter registration and make plans to vote early. Ohio's deadline to register to vote for the Nov. 3 general election is Oct. 5, and early voting begins Oct. 6. The event concluded with attendees making individual pledges to contact voters they know before Election Day. Organizers said the goal was to turn the gathering into voter outreach in the weeks leading up to the election. Contact Brooke Adams at 440-822-8373 or badams@medina-gazette.com.